March 2, 2020ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSPrayer for the Week: Magnificent God, it is your Spirit that emerges from the ashes – it manifests and becomes visible in the remnant of human lostness and hopelessness. When the world only sees the fragments and dust discarded from brokenness, you show up with a word of life. In the mess and debris left in the wake of grief, rejection, suffering, humiliation and guilt,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSMarch 1, 2020Scripture: Mark 2:16When some of the legal experts from among the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, “Why is he eating with sinners and tax collectors?” Thought for the Day: On Ash Wednesday, we focused on these words from Mark. The real focus was on a single word, Why. In the Greek it is Tis, a
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 29, 2020Scripture: Proverbs 16:9People plan their path, but the LORD secures their steps. Thought for the Day: Well today is leap day or leap year day. It’s kind of a strange happening if you think about it. Every few years we need to make a correction since the actual time it takes for the Earth to travel around the sun is 365.242 days. As I sit
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 28, 2020Scripture: 1st Corinthians 1:18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Thought for the Day: If you really think about it, Paul is absolutely correct. I’m surprised anyone joined the Christian movement as Paul preached from one town to another. The cross is a pathetic marketing tool,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 27, 2020A Prayer To Begin Lent:A journey begins and the life of Jesus leads us. Merciful and Holy Guide, the walk to Easter requires us to see and experience -the rejection by the very people who called Jesus friend; -the pain inflicted by an Empire that sought to make his suffering an example; -the loneliness brought about by the denial of his closest followers; -the darkness
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 26, 2020Scripture: Psalm 28:9O save your people, and bless your heritage; be their shepherd, and carry them forever. Thought for the Day: The 18th century French writer, Stendhal, penned these words, The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheepthat their interests and his own are the same. In the well known 23rd Psalm, the shepherd moves the sheep to green pastures and still waters. This sounds
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 25, 2020Scripture: Proverbs 12:22The LORD detests false lips; he favors those who do what is true. Thought for the Day: On Sunday, I talked about how “this following Jesus-thing” is hard. Don’t get me wrong, there are days when it is easy, might I say simple. But there are many other days when the challenge feels a bit beyond what we might think is doable. This
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 24, 2020Prayer for the Week: Holy Spirit – friend of humanity and source of power for the church – we speak of you often, including in our songs and prayers. But how often do we relinquish our self unto you? How often do we allow your flame to burn away what is not of you but has become a part of us? How often do we
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 23, 2020Scripture: James 2:1-4My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 22, 2020Scripture: Genesis 1:12The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. Thought for the Day: Rabbi Bradley Artson, the Dean at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, wrote an online article entitled: The Bible is a Book of Inclusion and Love. He opens the