ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSDecember 19, 2023Some of our church Elders agreed to write Etchings for this week, and they were to begin today. But I pushed them back one day because I needed to tell you a story—a sort of Christmas Story. Yesterday, I went by the grocery store to grab a few items and a couple of gift cards (each worth $50) for stocking stuffers. Yes, I am pinch-hitting
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSDecember 18, 2023Prayer for the Week: With the candles of hope, peace, and joy already burning in this Advent journey, we turn to the final two candles—the candle of love and the Christ candle. Bring our attention, Merciful God, to the beckoning glow of hope; to the illuminating brilliance of peace; to the dazzling radiance of joy. Through such gifts, our lives are made ready to receive
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSDecember 17, 2023I came across these words from the great theologian Paul Tillich: “One cannot be strong without love. For love is not an irrelevant emotion; it is the blood of life.” Love is strong, but I guess the inverse is true. Strength is found in and through love. I think about the relationships of love that I have, from my spouse to my family to my
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSDecember 16, 2023Once again, Advent is moving way too quickly, though I will admit to having some very special moments these last three weeks. The study that I completed on Thursday, based on the book An Unlikely Advent, was a good read for me, providing some really helpful reflections on the stories associated with this season. It got me out of some of my interpretative ruts around
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSDecember 15, 2023I ran to grab some lunch yesterday, and of course, the radio was blasting some Christmas music so that I could sing along with equal enthusiasm. The hymn, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, was playing, and a certain section caught my attention: …mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.”
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSDecember 14, 2023Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was an Indian poet, philosopher, and all-around gifted human being. At age 16, he released his first book of poetry under a pseudonym, and it immediately gained great attention. Some believed it was a collection of ancient poems that had been lost for centuries. One of Tagore’s great quotes that I am continually drawn to is: “I slept and dreamt that life
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSDecember 13, 2023Do not fear! Those words are found frequently in scripture, often coming to us through divine messengers whose very presence causes some anxiousness, for as we learn, wherever angelic voices speak, the expectations of faithfulness will be intensified. Something is going to be expected of us, and we are not always certain whether we are ready to take the leap. Yet fear is more a
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSDecember 12, 2023In Sunday’s sermon, I talked about the language of Isaiah the Prophet, specifically the Prince of Peace. In the original Hebrew, the word for Prince could also be translated as ruler, magistrate, or captain. It describes a position of authority, holding sway over a group or geographic area. What if the Prince of Peace seeks to have whatever area under his authority be a place
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSDecember 11, 2023Context: Yesterday, I talked about carving out more space where we acknowledge and embrace God’s presence. Faith tells us God is everywhere, and though at times we might create an expectation that God will not make an appearance in a certain place or time, Advent is about recognizing how God sneaks into those places and times we least expect. This is a prayer to offer
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSDecember 10, 2023In the last month or so, I have obligated Cypress Creek Christian Church on a few occasions without actually asking the church. No, I did not buy a new piano for the church with an IOU. But in a note I sent to the Rabbi at Jewish Community North, I expressed my concern for his congregation and also for him. There is growing hate, including