ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS May 29, 2026 Yesterday, I was enjoying a good Thai restaurant at lunch, when I glanced out the window to see a young man, probably 15 years old, across the street from the restaurant. It was about 1pm, and I suddenly realized it was the last day of school and he probably had only a half day. When traffic eased so he could cross, he skipped
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS May 28, 2026 Take a deep breath and try not to freak out. Most Biblical scholars claim that ancient Israel, or at least some segments of the Israelite movement, believed God had a wife. There are hints in scripture, including Deuteronomy 16:21, where we read, “You shall not plant any tree as a sacred pole beside the altar that you make for the Lord your God…”
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS May 27, 2026 I met someone for coffee yesterday and then drove to visit one of our folks in a nursing home near Methodist Hospital Willowbrook. My map showed a very interesting way to go, but as I got closer, I thought to myself, “That’s going to take five minutes longer,” and so I went the way I would usually go. As I turned onto Hargrave
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS May 26, 2026 Barbara Brown Taylor wrote, “Wisdom is not gained by knowing what is right. Wisdom is gained by practicing what is right, and noticing what happens when that practice succeeds and when it fails.” This makes sense. Recently, I was talking to someone who had done something she believed to be right, and I would even describe it as Christ-like. It sort of came
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS May 25, 2026 Holy, Loving Presence—found within, around, above, and beyond—we pause to center our hearts on the beauty of your Kin(g)dom. Awaken us to the places in the Greater Houston area where things are not as they should be. Grant us the courage to stand with the marginalized, and to be your hands, feet, and voice in the dismantling of systems that devalue and cause
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS May 24, 2026 Today is Pentecost Sunday, often referred to as the birthday of the church. Jesus, after the resurrection and forty days of teaching and eating, ascended to Heaven. And though the disciples were a little freaked to be on their own, Jesus had already prepared for the moment. Earlier, according to John’s Gospel, Jesus had said to them, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS May 23, 2026 I was able to catch the second half of the Nebraska vs. Oklahoma State softball game yesterday. It was a Super Regional game as my Cornhuskers try to make it to the College World Series. When you enjoy sports, you’re probably going to know both elation and great disappointment. Or as we heard every Saturday with ABC’s Wide World of Sports, “The thrill
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS May 22, 2026 Today is National Vanilla Pudding Day, and if that isn’t enough to excite you, it is also the day Orville and Wilbur Wright were granted a patent for their new “flying machine.” I wonder if any of the airlines will offer vanilla pudding instead of pretzels? I get a little tickled with all the “special” days or months on the calendar. I occasionally
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS May 21, 2026 I had just typed a handful of words, and though my fingers were not on the correct keys and what I typed was nonsense, my computer attempted to show how smart it was and correct my mistake. The only problem is that what it believed to be the correct sentence was not close and sort of inappropriate even for my Etchings. Is anyone
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS May 20, 2026 Though we’ll learn more about the shooting at the San Diego mosque in the coming weeks, I’m heartbroken for the faith community and everyone else who genuinely feels threatened. While law enforcement has only given us some basic information, they’ve confirmed that “hate rhetoric was involved.” In the last year, Islamophobia and religious bigotry toward other minority faith communities have been on the