ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJuly 24, 2021Scripture: Luke 22:40When Jesus reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Thought for the Day: I am back to the same passage as yesterday, but there is more to be found in this relatively short verse. It speaks of Jesus reaching “the place.” In the previous verse, it says that Jesus “went, as was
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJuly 23, 2021Scripture: Luke 22:40When Jesus reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Thought for the Day: Jesus and his disciples have just left the magnificence of the upper room where they experienced the light of love, but now they’ve entered the darkness of the night. In a loving way as only Jesus could do, he
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJuly 22, 2021A guest Etching from Dr. Joel PlaagThis is story is an excerpt from his upcoming book: “A Choir Director’s Notes,” by Dr. Joel Plaag, to be released in 2021. Used with permission. Working on a virtual fall event for the church with other staff, we experimented with “breakout rooms” in the virtual meeting space. As we started our conversation, we had all kinds of complicated
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJuly 21, 2021Scripture: Proverbs 16:24Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Thought for the Day: When I lived in Florida, there was a group of pastors I met with every Wednesday morning for breakfast. I was the small fish among some of the big pastoral fishes in town, and I appreciated that time. On more than one occasion, one
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJuly 20, 2021Scripture: Zechariah 7:8-11The word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another. But they refused to listen, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears in
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJuly 19, 2021Prayer for the Week: O Living Christ, you enter our communities, our homes and our lives. You enter, but are you received with joy? Your presence reminds us of all that is expected of us as followers of your enfleshed presence, all that was taught and revealed. Let us make room for you in the center of our communities, our homes and our lives. Let
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJuly 18, 2021Scripture: John 6:66-67At this, many of Jesus’ disciples turned away and no longer accompanied him. Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Thought for the Day: That is a very uncomfortable question to be asked. When nothing is on the line, and we are reading these words casually, it is easy to say out loud, “I’m with you, Jesus. All the way,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJuly 17, 2021Scripture: John 6:63The Spirit is the one who gives life and the flesh doesn’t help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. Thought for the Day: In tomorrow’s sermon, I will focus on how God speaks to us. For most people, it is not an audible voice. It is more like a tug, a feeling, a hunch, a nudge.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJuly 16, 2021Scripture: Matthew 7:24Everybody who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise builder who built a house on bedrock. Thought for the Day: For Matthew, the words of Jesus are the words of God. I don’t know if Matthew would say they are word for word what God would say, but I believe Matthew would say they can be
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGJuly 15, 2021Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3Call to me and I will answer and reveal to you wondrous secrets that you haven’t known. Thought for the Day: How exactly does God call? There is a scene in the movie Dead Poets Society when a student, Charlie Dalton, answers a pretend phone call during a rather tense all school assembly at the private boys school. He says, “Welton Academy, hello.