ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGAugust 28, 2021Scripture: Acts 19:11God did extraordinary miracles through Paul… Thought for the Day: The word “miracle” is one that causes modern people to raise a cautious or even skeptical eyebrow. We have read too many stories about con artists who claimed miracles, but were only taking advantage of the vulnerable. In the days of Jesus and Paul, there were plenty of miracle workers. It was not
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGAugust 27, 2021Scripture: Luke 15:6And when the shepherd comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Thought for the Day: The lost sheep has returned. The Prodigal has made his way home. Ok, that might be a bit dramatic, but today is my first official day back after Sabbatical. A lot
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGAugust 26, 2021Scripture: Galatians 1:10Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Thought for the Day: I am a people-pleaser. Most clergy, deep down, are people-pleasers. We tell people what we know they want to hear, and avoid conflict wherever possible. It is thought that
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGAugust 25, 2021Scripture: Galatians 1:6-7I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. Thought for the Day: There are some folks who have a wonderful ability to challenge or
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGAugust 24, 2021Scripture: Galatians 1:3-5Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Thought for the Day: In these opening remarks from Paul’s Letter, we hear of a Jesus
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGAugust 23, 2021Prayer for the Week:For the people of Afghanistan –We pray for mercy, Holy One, as we do not know what else our prayers should containImages from the news stories in the media turmoil, fear, repression, sufferingOur hearts break again and again as hopelessness consumes our thoughts as a purgatory of despair covers usYet what we see like so many things in life has a history
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGAugust 22, 2021Guest Writer: Rev. Mariah NewellScripture:1 Corinthians 13:4-8: 4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGAugust 21, 2021Scripture: 1st Corinthians 3:16Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? Thought for the Day: There are those who believe they go to church and there are those who believe they are the church. Church attendance will not transform the world. That’s a frightening statement for a pastor to make, yet I do believe participating in a
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGAugust 20, 2021Guest Writer: Dr. Joel Plaag“I wasn’t a great Sunday School student!” the clinician espoused, evoking laughter and nods from the other choral directors in the room. I sat transfixed – this was one of the great choral directors of the USA, and he just said that he hadn’t studied scripture. “I learned it from singing the same works, over and over. I learned it by
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGAugust 19, 2021Scripture: 1st John 1:8-9If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Thought for the Day: Yesterday I wrote a little about change. Later in the day, I was reading and came across a