ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 18, 2024Prayer for the Week:We live in a world where most everything has a price.We interact daily with those who offer a gift, while expecting something in return.We hear of acts of generosity, only to discover that the giver benefited greatly.It is often difficult for us to trust in grace, O God, as we do not have many models of selflessness or gifts offered with no strings attached.For that reason,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 17, 2024A Catholic priest by the name of Marcelo Pérez was shot and killed last month. He was an ardent advocate for Indigenous peoples, collaborating with farmworkers and so many others who endured the violence perpetrated by the drug cartels and others involved in organized crime. He worked in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas, and he remained steadfast in his commitment to justice and peace
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 16, 2024There are times when it appears that Jesus was in conflict with the Pharisees. However, in Luke 11, we encounter an instance where a Pharisee extended an invitation to Jesus for a meal. Jesus accepted the invitation and took a seat at the table. This event was followed by a rather intense and contentious discussion, but it is important to refrain from assuming that it
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 15, 2024“God wants to bless you, and your genuine gratitude is the key that releases those blessings from heaven.” Those are the words of a minister who will remain unnamed, but I believe he offers an insight into two very different ways of thinking about gratitude. Maybe you were not as selfish and self-centered as I was in childhood, but I was expected to sit down
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 14, 2024Where does forgiveness begin? When we’ve been hurt, betrayed, or left to suffer, it is important to claim that we are of value. Too often, when we have been injured by another, we are left feeling devalued or even wondering whether we deserved it. The one who was the source of the injury (physical, emotional, or spiritual) is often given additional power through what might
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 13, 2024I’m always a little anxious when people are overly confident when it comes to knowing the will of God, or at least some of the specificity of certain aspects of life. I tend to speak of God’s dream for this world, and at least from our vantage point, I believe this dream is best summarized as love. And if love is the dream, then love
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 12, 2024Someone asked me about Veteran’s Day, and the person was correct that I did not make mention of it in worship. In this case, last Sunday came at the end of a 100+ hour work week, and it, along with a few other things, slipped off the radar. It was also the final Sunday to encourage commitments toward our 2025 Campaign and a Sunday where
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 11, 2024Prayer for the Week: When we feel as if we are fighting the head winds of discontent and despair, and our spirits are exhausted and our bodies are waning, we trust that you will not leave us alone in our emotional unease. Come, Holy Spirit, and remind us of the promise that we shall never be alone. Come, Holy Spirit, and pour your loving affirmation
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 10, 2024I recently heard someone say that chaos drives people deeper into individualism. When I think about it, I believe it is accurate. My concern is that both the story of Israel found in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and the Jesus story found in the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) seem to always invite people, when chaos occurs, to step more fully into community. Paul wrote
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 9, 2024Last night, I joined some folks to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday. We gathered at a dueling piano bar, and I will confess to having a really good time. So many of the songs they sang were from the 70’s and 80’s, so I knew most of the words. There were people of all ages, and because the alcohol was flowing (I did not partake),