ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS November 5, 2026 The words of Colossians 3:15-16 might be familiar to you. They are beautiful, upbeat, and in many ways, I find them to be representative of what it means to live in faith. Paul wrote, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS November 4, 2026 I’m not usually a doom-and-gloom kind of person. In fact, the glass isn’t just half full, but has the potential to overflow if we continue to pour into it. At some point, it spills over the top. Of course, there are plenty of people who are seeing the statistics associated with Christianity in America, and the numbers do not look good. Oh, sure,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS November 3, 2026 Recently, I heard a preacher give thanks for Harry T. Moore and Harriette Moore, yet without explanation, I was left scratching my head. Who were they? The sermon video I was watching was from a predominantly Black congregation, and so it felt as if I might need to do some quick research. And like so often, I was a little embarrassed when I
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS November 2, 2026 For the Great Cloud of Witnesses Whose lives rebelled against empire And who pushed against empty religion We are thankful God of the Saints For you inspired amazing faith And boldness in daily living. Today, give us Jesus Who loved fiercely Wept with the grieving Shared a meal with the outcast Stood on the side of the marginalized And invited us to do
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS November 1, 2026 Today marks one of those “interesting” days in the life of the church. It’s All Saints’ Sunday, a time to honor all the saints, both past and present. However, at Cypress Creek Christian Church, we take a few minutes during our worship services to remember and acknowledge those connected to our community who have passed away over the past year. It is meaningful
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 31, 2026 I don’t know about you, but there was a time in my life when Halloween might have been as exciting as Christmas and my birthday. Not only were there fun decorations, but I got to wear a costume. In those days, we spent time at Kmart and Ben Franklin where we found the boxed costumes with the cheap plastic masks held on with
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 30, 2026 The Samaritans did not have a good name, especially among the Jewish community. There was a strong animosity that went both ways, and at least from the perspective of scripture, the Samaritans were condemned for simply being Samaritans. Whether some of the hateful passages were Southern Kingdom propaganda against the Samaritans, we do not know. Whatever the case, the Samaritans would reclaim a
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 29, 2026 This is not a doomsday Etching or even an attempt to hint at something coming. However, it is the anniversary of the stock market crash we call Black Tuesday. Though my grandparents on my mother’s side had only been married a short time, they had plenty of stories to tell. They were living in Western Nebraska, and though they owned absolutely no stock
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 28, 2026 A few days back, I purchased a new bottle of shampoo. It was one of those rather large ones, as the price was good. Of course, as you can probably guess, I don’t need to use much shampoo as there is not a lot of hair to actually shampoo. So a big bottle lasts me a very long time. I had set it
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS October 27, 2026 This coming Sunday is one of the more meaningful and painful Sundays of the year. It is All Saints’ Sunday, and in our worship services, it includes a time in which we name those who have died over the last year. For many, just hearing a name spoken in worship can be emotionally triggering, and at the same time, emotionally healing. Grief doesn’t