ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 20, 2026 Today, we will be wrestling with the notion of forgiveness in worship. I have appreciated the dozen or so authors I have been reading in preparation for this sermon, but among them is Brené Brown, who said, “People can look at you, expecting forgiveness like they are standing in front of a vending machine.” Not only did I laugh out loud, but it
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 19, 2026 When I go by Sprouts, I often pick up just a small bag of cinnamon-roasted pecans. They are dairy and gluten-free, and quite yummy. They are also expensive, so I often get only $3 or so. It’s all I need, though often I begin munching on them as I drive home. The other day, I purchased an even smaller amount, .2 lbs. On
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 18, 2026 On Sunday, I will be talking about forgiveness. You might have watched the short video I created on the topic. In it, I referenced the words from the Apostle Paul, when he said, “…just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” When I think about how I express my faith, I don’t use a lot of words like must.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 17, 2026 Yesterday, during our Men’s Group meeting, after lifting up the joys and concerns of the congregation and praying over them, we discussed intercessory prayer. While the Christian faith has always emphasized that we don’t need someone to intercede on our behalf when going before God, it’s comforting to have those who stand in the gap, especially during challenging times. In Galatians 6:2, the
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 16, 2026 Donna and I got away over the weekend to a little cabin in Arkansas for a couple of nights, and though it was hot (actually, slightly hotter near Hot Springs than Houston), we had a wonderful and relaxing time. It was one of those short breaks where we both said, “Can we stay two more weeks?” Early Sunday morning, we went over to
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 15, 2026 Within our tradition, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), there is not one way of doing things. We are not a top-down denomination with a manual that dictates our practices. However, if I am to be completely honest, there are days when a manual would be appreciated. If you were to travel the country and visit numerous congregations within our denomination, you would
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 14, 2026 I have a Kermit the Frog puppet on my desk. Cheryl Coleman gave it to me, along with some other stuffed animals. I’ve given two away to kids who had come to the church office with a parent and were needing a little something to cheer them up. Kermit, on the other hand, has been used as a conversation partner with a couple
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 13, 2026 I am about the least superstitious person alive, yet I find it funny that whenever I see the 13th as a day of the month, I wonder whether it’s a Friday. There is no anxiousness or unsettledness at the thought of the number 13, but Friday the 13th has become very much a part of our culture. And growing up, the first Friday
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 12, 2026 Yesterday was my wife’s birthday. We had a wonderful trip to California planned to celebrate this milestone, but my health issues forced us to cancel. I know spouses make sacrifices for one another, as that is what love does. However, it does not make certain decisions any easier. It still sort of suck! We had been planning and saving for the trip for
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 11, 2026 My doctor is wanting me to get the usual vaccines, plus a couple of extra ones. I had yet to get the RSV, a vaccine to protect from certain strains of a nasty respiratory virus. Finding myself already a little fatigued, I wanted to check the potential side effects. I put my question before AI, and though it gave me the traditional side