ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJune 16, 2025Prayer for the Week:There are days when we need you to cry with us, and days when we need you to laugh with us. There are times we need you to sit with us in our confusion, frustration, or even our doubts. There are moments when we need you to be a friend who says nothing, allowing your presence to speak louder than any word
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJune 15, 2025Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” I don’t know about you, but there have been many finite disappointments in my life that have caused me to lose hope. It is troubling how powerful disappointment can be in our lives as it sucks the possible from any future moment, at least for a while. What did
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJune 14, 2025In rereading my last post (June 11), I realize that I probably should be a bit more cautious about posting while medicated. I believe the post made sense, though it sort of had a rambling and free spirit to it. Pain medication after knee replacement is necessary, but writing a blog while taking heavy-duty drugs (prescribed by a doctor) is probably not wise. With that
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJune 11, 2025This past Sunday, Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady preached at Cypress Creek Christian Church. Though I was not in attendance, the sermon was brilliant. I watched online the sermon in both the Traditional and Contemporary services. I know ministers who do a lot of preaching have a different ear for sermons. I’m listening for six or seven different qualities, a sort of rubric for evaluating. To
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJune 10, 2025The greatest Old Testament scholar of our time (my opinion, though I’m not alone), Dr. Walter Brueggemann, died last Friday. I found him brilliant, not because he was born in Nebraska, but because of his capacity to bring alive a passage within its historical context and the quirkiness of ancient Hebrew, while exposing the raw beauty of a people trying to tell their story in
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJune 9, 2025Yesterday was the first Pentecost Sunday that I was not in a sanctuary (excluding the pandemic) in probably forty years or more. I did watch four services online, and because it’s one of my favorite church holidays, online was not quite the same. If you’ve been around much on Pentecost, then you’ve probably heard me say that one of the many reasons I like Pentecost
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJune 6, 2025In today’s world, legally changing your name can be quite challenging, yet many individuals do so. Others acquire nicknames through amusing or peculiar events that become enduring. Still others allow life circumstances to rename them in a manner that may not have legal standing but clearly reflects their emotional state. In the Book of Ruth, Naomi changed her name to Mara, the Hebrew word for
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJune 5, 2025Guest Writer: Rev. Michelle Beech, A friend said something to me the other day about how the sky looked and I realized how often I forget to even look up. I spend a lot of time indoors, but even when I’m walking the dogs or hanging out on our deck, the only time I really look up is for a sunrise or a sunset. But we
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJune 4, 2025There are times when I read the Gospels and realize that Jesus had more confidence in his followers than we do in ourselves. Throughout his ministry, Jesus shared many positive and optimistic teachings about his disciples and the future of God’s kingdom being realized on Earth. The Apostle Paul reinforced this idea when he declared the community of followers to be the body of Christ.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJune 3, 2025While on Sabbatical, I am hoping to attend as many churches as I can, simply because it’s not something I get to do very often. This past Sunday, I attended a church where I know the pastor, and I was really impressed and blessed by the sermon. In the service, we sang the song: Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart, a song I’ve sung many