Words Matter John 1:1-18 July 8, 2018 Michelle Fincher Calvary Presbyterian Church “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” Did anyone else besides me grow up hearing this taunt on the elementary school play-ground? When you’re 9 or 10 years old, you say...
I had a dream this week...
If you know me at all – and especially if you have been in ministry with me – you’ve heard me say that the model of leaving the faith development of children completely up to the church is flawed and out of date. Flawed for...
I recently became aware of two “clubs” that I didn’t know existed. Neither of these clubs is one that people join by choice. Instead, we are thrust in to them through no fault of our own. Membership in these clubs is life-changing. We are never...
Church: Standing Firm in God Ephesians 6:10-24 June 17, 2018 Michelle Fincher Calvary Presbyterian Church Last words: we tend to put a lot of stock in someone’s final words. In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul now takes his leave, says his goodbyes. His tone is crisp, matter-of-fact. Despite...
Church: Relationships, Relationships Ephesians 5:21-6:9 June 10, 2018 Michelle Fincher Calvary Presbyterian Church Misconceptions about church are legion: church is a place that’s all about rules, especially the “thou shalt nots.” The people in churches are judgmental, hypocritical, fanatical, or uptight. Churches are cold, sterile, boring and repetitive or...
Church: Keepers of Negative Space Ephesians 4:17-5:20 June 3, 2018 Michelle Fincher Calvary Presbyterian Church To this point in Paul’s letter, virtually everything has been stated with glowing affirmation. Paul is extravagant in his enthusiasm, unstoppable in his praise. The energy of his verbiage overflows with metaphor and simile, stretching...
Last week I wrote about the ongoing challenges we face as individuals and as a congregation to meet the needs of our neighbors. It just so happened that after I wrote that post, two additional incidents occurred. One of them involved a middle-aged man who...
Today I encountered a situation that comes up frequently for most anyone in my line of work and in fact, for most anyone who pays attention to people and cares about the dignity and well-being of others. The door bell of the church rang not...
Church: All for One and One for All Ephesians 4:1-16 May 27, 2018 M. Michelle Fincher Calvary Presbyterian Church We are at a transition point in Ephesians, moving from an exuberant exploration of who God is and the way God works to a detailed account of who we are and...