ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJanuary 30, 2022Do you like surprises? A friend of mine responded to that question by saying, “Only if they don’t surprise me.” I’m not the brightest light in the chandelier, but I’m pretty certain that if a surprise doesn’t surprise you then it is not a surprise. In Isaiah 43:19, we read: “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJanuary 29, 2022Does God take sides? I was recently reading a short article in Sojourners Magazine, and a few words caught my attention and got me to thinking. God sided with the enslaved Israelites and against the Egyptians. Does that mean God hated the Egyptians or did God stand against their choice to enslave other human beings? Could God love the Egyptians and still say, “I am
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJanuary 28, 2022Have you ever had one of those runarounds with your insurance company? We had to switch insurance providers this year, and what should have been simple has been far from simple. It is one of those situations where you’re pretty certain it will all get figured out in the end, but the frustration is real as you wait and wonder. It was John Lennon who
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJanuary 27, 2022Many of your homes have been impacted by COVID. Many of you know the fears and grief brought about by this virus. Some of you know firsthand the stress and anxiety caused by this virus. There are some families and some parts of our society affected more than others. A question asked by some people and implied by others is the question humans have been
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJanuary 26, 2022I’m sitting here looking at my office desk. On it, there is a tie that I wore on Sunday, but took off immediately after worship. There are three masks, including the one I wore into the church this morning. Beside me is a small microphone that I use when I do videos. There is also a small toy basketball, a pile of rocks, a broken
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJanuary 25, 2022You can’t serve both God and wealth according to Jesus. In Luke 16, in a rather disjointed section of scripture (Bruce’s opinion), Jesus appears to summarize with the words, “No household servant can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJanuary 24, 2022Prayer for the Week: Holy God – today – we pray for the mending of the broken and a shattering of the chains that constrain. We pray for a liberation of body and soul, for both individuals and communities. We pray for Good News to spill forth in abundance upon all who feel a scarcity in their lives. We pray, Holy God, for your Spirit
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJanuary 23, 2022In Leviticus 25, we read about an important conviction of the people’s faith – Jubilee. It says, “You will make the fiftieth year holy, proclaiming freedom throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a Jubilee year for you: each of you must return to your family property and to your extended family. The fiftieth year will be a Jubilee year for you.”
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJanuary 22, 2022Cypress Creek Christian Church will officially turn 50 years old on Saturday, March 12. As a community, we will celebrate during worship on March 13. There are other events in the works, including a fun fashion show from each of the decades of the church’s fifty years. There will be numerous fundraisers for the Special Pentecost Offering to support new churches. Some of those fundraisers
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJanuary 21, 2022Tonight, at Cypress Creek Christian Church, the new 2022 Elders will meet. This is the beginning of a retreat for the Leadership of the Church. Tomorrow, the Elders will be joined by the new Board. Part of it is simply to get better acquainted. We will spend time doing some of the practical work, training and preparing for certain tasks. Time will be spent dreaming,