From a Pastor's Point of View

“Where could I go to get away from your spirit? Where could I go to escape your presence? If I went up to heaven, you would be there. If I went down to the grave, you would be there too!”… Continue reading

     I am often guilty of saying a flippant response and moving to the next person standing to speak with me. We know this year is vastly different from years past, but that does not excuse us from genuinely expressing… Continue reading

     I found myself fascinated with Isaiah’s proclamation that the spirit of the Lord came upon him. In the prophet language, God shared with him a special message. He announced, “The Lord God’s spirit is upon me, because the Lord… Continue reading

     In past years, this is crunch time for me. I make mad dashes to the mall to pick up last-minute gifts, prepare worship services for Christmas Eve, and visit shut-ins. I learned to navigate the craziness of the season… Continue reading

     One of the great premises of Buddhist philosophy is the idea of giving up our attachment to things. By emptying ourselves of ways that we hold on to items, we can fill the new spaces with a higher consciousness.… Continue reading

     We live in a dualistic society that assumes many things about an individual based on how one lives his/her life, who they vote for, and where they live. As a Christian, failing to look beyond the surface, hinders many… Continue reading

     When we move from darkness into the light, there is a supposition that everything reverts to a time when life proceeded in a stress-free environment. I often find myself shocked when my entry into the light is quite different… Continue reading

     As I got ready to go to church this morning, I heard a statement that bothered me. While not talking about the birth of Christ, someone said, “If you come down…” My first reaction was one of anger. “What… Continue reading

     Sometimes I am guilty of using “churchy” words without explaining myself. There are phrases that we throw around without knowing the full extent of their meaning. What we do is set up boundaries for those who use familiar language… Continue reading

     One of my favorite seasonal musical selections is “Fantasia on Christmas Carols” by the great English composer Ralph Vaughn Williams. The piece starts very somberly with a single cello and a baritone voice who musically narrates through the darkness.… Continue reading