ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 11, 2024When have you experienced a level of joy and excitement that spilled over into laughter? Laughter doesn’t necessarily mean something is funny, but the delight a person is feeling cannot be contained with a simple smile. In Psalm 126, we read: When the Lord changed Zion’s circumstances for the better, it was like we had been dreaming. Our mouths were suddenly filled with laughter; our tongues
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 10, 2024As I write this Etching, it is Wednesday night, and I am sitting outside watching the sunset. It is quiet and peaceful. And as I sit here, I am completely aware of the experience of those on the west coast of Florida—everything that is not quiet and far from peaceful. The contrast from what I saw on the TV a short time ago to what
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 9, 2024Not only is today my birthday, but it also would have been the 84th birthday of John Lennon. Today is also the 44th anniversary of a meeting between the Dalai Lama and Pope John Paul II. It was a controversial meeting, at least from the perspective of China, which had occupied and annexed Tibet starting in the early 50’s. Though the world did not fully
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 8, 2024Growing up, October 8 was always a challenging day for me. It’s my sister Stephanie’s birthday, and my birthday is tomorrow. I had to pretend I was excited for her on her special day, but honestly, it was hard to focus my attention or enthusiasm on October 8. I was just hours away from my day, yet I was supposed to look as if I
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 7, 2024Holy and Magnificent God, you are forever inviting us into a more faithful walk with you, hoping that we will be able to live a life that both reflects and honors the life of Jesus. What we do today does not simply impact today. No matter how insignificant a decision might be, it has repercussions well beyond this day. Keep us mindful of how we
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 6, 2024In today’s sermon, I will be looking at a story about Jesus that includes a parable found in Luke 12. In verse 15, Jesus says to some folks that have approached him, “Watch out! Guard yourself against all kinds of greed. After all, one’s life isn’t determined by one’s possessions, even when someone is very wealthy.” I never want to disagree with Jesus, but in
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 5, 2024The other day, I heard a minister give the old joke about never seeing a u-haul behind a hearse. The point is that we cannot take it with us, and at the end of most people’s lives is a lot of stuff that doesn’t go to heaven but to Good Will, an estate sale, or the trashcan. It’s the stuff that we have purchased and
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 4, 2024We did it! Yes, we did it! Last night, we officially opened the new playground. It is beautiful, and I am beyond excited. And when I say “we did it,” I am emphasizing the word “we.” This was a community effort. We had an initial gift from an anonymous angel, and though it was 35% of the total cost, there was still a lot more.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 3, 2024Jesus gave the world more than the world can fully understand, but part of what was given was a legacy of love. We have many examples of people who gave witness to love with extraordinary acts of love. Humanity is better off because of their breath-taking example. Yet the life and witness of Jesus seem to have a life of their own and within them
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 2, 2024Though ten years old, there is an interesting study that looks at income and happiness/contentment. In 2010, two Nobel Prize winning economists looked at how happiness is affected by money. Of course, we must acknowledge that happiness is very subjective, as those interviewed were not given any sort of parameters beyond the question: Would you describe yourself as happy or unhappy? The study followed 450,000