From a Pastor's Point of View

  • Navigating a Church Split

         I am a United Methodist Pastor, and the season in which we live is not easy. So it is with great sadness that I see and hear churches in my annual conference choose to disaffiliate with the United Methodist… Continue reading

  • Gratitude for a Visit with My Sister

         This week my sister came to visit us in New Mexico. So far, we have enjoyed catching up and planning trips in the “Land of Enchantment.” I appreciate her company and look forward to many mad-capped adventures. It is… Continue reading

  • Making a Fresh Start

         The last post I shared was in early summer. After 10+ years of writing blogs, I needed a break from the mundane. At first, I felt guilty about stopping, but gradually I realized that respites offer a time of… Continue reading

  • Where Do We Go from Here?

         I cannot help but think of the Jewish refugees reentering the land flowing with milk and honey after the exile. Jerusalem lay in ruins, and the first temple no longer existed. The word trauma seems to be an appropriate… Continue reading

  • A Fresh Start

         It is no secret that I took a little time off from my blog to rest and renew my spirit. But unfortunately, I found that I began to put pressure on myself to write something, anything, consistently. As a… Continue reading

  • Our Invitation into the Darkness

         Today we begin the season of Lent. As Christians, we discover an invitation to explore the darkest parts of ourselves – the part of our souls cut off from the joy we celebrate in Christ. Our journey reminds us… Continue reading

  • Giving Thanks for My Current House of Worship

         There are moments in ministry, especially itinerant service when moving occurs. Sometimes the possibilities of moving forward appear to be the next right steps. This experience is not the case for me at this moment. This week I had… Continue reading

  • Have a Merry Christmas Filled with Joy

         When I speak of joy, I do not mean a superficial show of emotions that appeals to the senses. Instead, I refer to a stirring of the soul moving me to realize that God fills every part of my… Continue reading

  • A Time to Live in a Spirit of Thanks

         I must say that my heart is full this week of Thankgsliving. My oldest son arrived in town last night, and the first thing we did was sing together. In my world, there is nothing quite like singing with… Continue reading

  • Oh, That We Might Know Him

    “Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know Him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring” (Hos. 6:3 NLT). “Let us press… Continue reading