ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS December 13, 2025 There are a number of strange things about me, and I’m pretty sure my spouse could add to the list. One of the oddities that is Bruce Frogge is looking for patterns in numbers. I’m not great at games like Sudoku, but I will see a list of random numbers and I find myself thinking about how one number multiplied by the next
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS December 12, 2025 Who is really in the story and who is not? In three different conversations in the last week, people have been surprised that something or someone was not actually in the Christmas Story. From cartoon versions to made-for-TV movies to big-budget church productions, the story needs some filler. Don’t read that the wrong way, but if you are trying to put together a
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS December 11, 2025 In Sunday’s sermon, I mentioned a movie that might be among the Frogges’ Top Five, though as I think more about it, I’m pretty sure we have seven or eight movies in our Top Five. Though one that is close to the top is Shawshank Redemption, starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. At one point in the movie, the two of them are
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS December 10, 2025 My first real introduction to Liberation Theology was the theologian, Gustavo Gutiérrez (1928–2024). He encouraged us to reflect on the implications of Jesus’ context, specifically the place and circumstances of where he was born. The following are some reflections and insights from Kelley Nikondeha (from cac.org, December 26, 2024), based on her reading of Gutiérrez. There, on the fringe of society, “the Word
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS December 9, 2025 There were a couple of snafus on Sunday in regard to the worship material and the worship outline. I must own all those! Not to explain away my blunder, but it was a sort of interesting happening. My screen on my MacBook Air started to go out, but thank goodness that I had AppleCare, the three-year warranty. I took it in, and they
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS December 8, 2025 Prayer for the Week: May the anxiousness manifesting itself as anger, May the misinformation that gives rise to distrust, May the insecurities that feed intolerance— Be brought before you, Magnificent and Merciful God. For where we make room for your transformative power to dwell among us, we believe there is hope for… reorientation healing and peace.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS December 7, 2025 Today is the Second Sunday of Advent, the Sunday usually described as Peace Sunday. The message in worship this morning will be indirectly about peace, though I thought I’d share some words from Brian McLaren who wrote clearly and directly about peace and non-violence within the Christian faith. McLaren writes… “In the aftermath of Jesus and his cross, we should never again define
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS December 6, 2025 There are those who refuse to venture down the road of forgiveness because they make the assumption that forgiveness is weakness. Edwin Hubbel Chapin was a preacher and writer back in the middle part of the 19th century. He wrote, “Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it forgoes revenge.” Forgoing revenge may not be the same as forgiveness, but
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS December 5, 2025 Guest Writer: Kay Smith (Service Representative to the Church Board) In Matthew 25:35-40, we read: 35 I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36 I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS December 4, 2025 The actor, Bradly Whitford (played Josh Lyman on the tv show West Wing), said, Some days you wake up ready to change the world. Other days… changing your socks feels ambitious. I both laughed and nodded in full agreement. There are a handful of questions I commonly receive as a minister, and though it might not be at the top of the list,