Dear Friends, Absolutely the last thing I want to talk about the week of Christmas is the coronavirus. I mean, seriously. I am sick to death of Covid (though not literally, I hope!) Still, the news on the latest variant is so disturbing and discouraging that...
Dear Friends, We are just a few days away from the winter solstice. Next Tuesday, December 21st, at 10:59 a.m. EST, the sun will reach its southernmost point in the sky for the year. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice marks...
Dear Friends, We are now half-way through the season of Advent. Over the years, I have developed a deeper and deeper appreciation for this liturgical season, which invites us to slow down, anticipate, and prepare for the coming of Jesus, rather than rush straightaway to the...
Dear Friends, I have a confession to make. Of all the Church’s liturgical seasons, I find Advent the most difficult to preach. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying I don’t love the Advent story and the carols and hymns, or the unique flavor of worship during...
Dear Friends, Thank you for a wonderful celebration of God’s faithfulness to us on Stewardship Sunday. It was a joyful, worshipful experience, as we gave thanks for God’s gifts and blessings, and as we made our commitments for the year ahead. If you attended Sunday’s service,...
Dear Friends, With every day that passes, I hear more and more stories of “happenings” throughout the sabbatical. I imagine that will be the case for a while, especially with the Session meeting on Saturday. But for now, let me add to my list of “thanks”...
Dear Friends, First, thank you, thank you for the warm and gracious welcome back. What an unexpected blessing to walk into my office Monday morning and discover it bursting with balloons, hearts, notes and cards covering my desk, hanging from the ceiling, and draped over everything...
A last (theological) word about the sabbatical Dear friends, Over the past two weeks, I have shared many of the logistical details of the Sabbatical Plan. I hope you are beginning to feel comfortable that a lot of prayerful preparation and collaborative effort have gone into ensuring...
Dear friends, As promised, this week I will share more details about the upcoming sabbatical. But first, a good question to consider is: what is a sabbatical and why are we doing this? The PC(USA), like a lot of church denominations (as well as many universities), recognizes...
Dear friends, “Running the race” turns out to be an apt theme for this summer, as I am now racing the clock, trying to get ready for the start of the sabbatical. My “to do” list is lengthy, and I am working diligently to get each...