pastorfrogge

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 17, 2025During the General Assembly, I heard a person use the word “must” and the words “have to” in regard to certain religious ideas and convictions. Words like MUST and HAVE TO are good words for engineers who are building our bridges or scientists who are developing a new vaccine. There are certain areas of our living when we need people to follow the rules and

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 13, 2025Last night, our evening preacher was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s youngest daughter, Rev. Dr. Bernice King. She reminded us how the Underground Railroad was never legal, but it was the right thing to do. She talked about how the Holy Spirit is not only to dwell within us, but is to pour forth from us. Yet too many of us, according to Rev. Bernice

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 11, 2025Some of you are old enough to remember Tony Orlando and Dawn’s hit song, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” from 1973. In 1974 or 1975, my music teacher at May Morely Elementary School would do all school sing-alongs, where we’d sing popular songs, including “Tie a Yellow Ribbon.” Of course, those were the days when the words were on a transparency

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 10, 2025I know we can often complicate things more than necessary, but I also believe that other things are more complicated than some people try to make them. I was recently in a conversation about the Middle East and the ongoing violence in Gaza. This person said, “Well, if they would only…” and then proceeded to present a rather simplistic solution as if this was similar

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 9, 2025Like many of you, I have been unable to find words to describe the grief and sadness I have felt in regard to the flooding that has taken so many lives (both in Texas and in the Carolinas). Even my prayers have been more emotion than words, though it is in times like this that I remember the words of the Apostle Paul, “…the Spirit

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 8, 2025So I’m driving down Louetta the other day, and the car in front of me is dragging part of the plastic underbody panel. This wasn’t the only part of the car with some problems, as there was a great deal of duct tape holding the bumper and the back quarter panel in place. As we pulled away from a red light, the plastic underneath fell

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 7, 2025Clement of Alexandria lived in the second and early part of the third century. He became a priest and eventually one of the church’s early theologians. He was one of Origen’s teachers and has always garnered the respect of theologians throughout the centuries. And though I read some of what he wrote during my time in graduate school, I was deeply troubled by his misogynistic

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 5, 2025Challenges come our way no matter the time of year or our stage in life. Yet just because we call something a challenge does not mean it occurred unexpectedly. There are times when we choose to be challenged, and often our faith demands it. And simply being challenged does not necessarily mean it is an inconvenience or painful. Challenges are what motivate us to rise

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 4, 2025I appreciate the wisdom of the famous philosopher, Bob Dylan, who said that a “…hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” In Galatians 5:1, we read, “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” What choices do you make each day that demonstrate that your freedom is never