ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 19, 2022In Genesis 28, we find the story of Jacob’s Ladder, a dream Jacob had of a ladder stretching into the heavens. You may have learned a song in Sunday School years ago about climbing Jacob’s Ladder. Well, according to some ancient Jewish teachings, Jacob’s ladder is a symbol of human life. We live firmly rooted on the earth, but we strive and stretch to know
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 18, 2022Prayer for the Week: Wherever I am, there you are. Wherever I’ve been, you remain. Wherever I am going, you will welcome me there. You are the One, Holy God, who is not confined by time or space, yet you’ve chosen to meet me as I move through time and space. Thank you. Amen.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 17, 2022Today in worship, we look at another aspect of prayer. Last Sunday, I went very basic: the “reward” (Matthew 6:6) or desired takeaway from prayer is ultimately God. Too often, there is a tendency to expect too much of prayer. There might be some who will be upset with that comment, but I find people praying for all kinds of things that may not necessarily
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 16, 2022Today I am with the JYF (Junior Youth Fellowship), 3rd–5th graders) on their short Mission Trip to Texas City. We started the JYF Mission Trip a few years before the Pandemic as a way of allowing the younger kids to get a taste of a mission experience before they went on a longer trip with Chi Rho (Middle School Youth). If you never went on
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 15, 2022In the Sermon on the Mount (a portion of it found in Matthew 6), Jesus said, “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” I have a love/hate relationship with those words. I so want to live into them, yet I do such an amazing job of not doing so. I am reminded
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 14, 2022Last night, we had a prayer service in the chapel. There is something special about that space. My mind often goes to the prayers, scriptures, and good thoughts written just behind the drywall. They were revealed shortly after the flood, when the space had to be gutted. There is also the intimacy of the space. And of course, the prayer service itself was meaningful and
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 13, 2022Psalm 33 tells us how the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. There is a clear scriptural claim of the earth being full of God’s steadfast love. Not half full or even a pretty decent amount. Full! It is a beautiful and powerful image of love splashing over the top, but then you stand back and ask the question, “Where exactly
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 12, 2022Anyone else absolutely blown away by the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope? I have vague recollections of being this giddy and nerdy when I was 14 years old and the Space Shuttle was being launched for the first time. When they first started talking about the capacity of this new telescope, they used language like “looking into the past.” What does it
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 11, 2022Prayer for the Week:We breathe in your grace, O God.It fills our lungs;it saturates our senses;it permeates our being.We breathe in your graceas we exhale our insecurities,our apprehension,and all that stifles life with you.We breathe in your grace,and in that breath,we are reminded of your presence,forever with us,forever for us.We breathe in your grace, O God,and we are truly thankful.Amen.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 10, 2022In today’s sermon, I am referencing Fr. Thomas Keating, an amazing monk who provided great thoughts on prayer and meditation. His best known quote is probably, Silence is God’s first language; everything else is a poor translation. Those words are wonderfully thought-provoking, but perhaps my favorite quote is: St. Teresa of Avila wrote: “All difficulties in prayer can be traced to one cause: praying as