ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS April 15, 2026 Just in case you hadn’t realized, today is tax day. If you’re reading this early enough, you might still have time to file your taxes… maybe. Early in life, after I started my first real job (I apologize for not paying taxes on my snow shoveling gigs between the ages of 10 and 12), filling out tax forms was incredibly stressful. Despite being
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS April 14, 2026 In Sunday’s Sermon, I mentioned Rob Bell’s book, “Everything is Spiritual.” In the book, Rob gives a description of his first time giving a sermon. He wrote, “I had heard people give messages and teachings and sermons over the years. I usually didn’t find them that compelling. But this, this SPIRITUAL TALK THING I had stumbled into—this was part guerrilla theater and part
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS April 13, 2026 Prayer for the Week: Paul called us Fools for Christ Fools in the ways of Christ Fools because of Christ. Holy God, you call us to be foolish not idiots not to purposely make poor choices but to stand in the world while representing you and the very counter-cultural life of Jesus. We look foolish as servants
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS April 12, 2026 Guest Writer: Rev. Becky Winders God’s Sense of Humor When I contemplate God’s sense of humor, my thoughts drift back to the quirks and giggles woven into my life growing up in a faith-filled household, I came to realize early on that divine intervention doesn’t speak in Charlton Hester’s or Morgan Freeman’s voice—it sometimes whispers through laughter, mishaps, and the unexpected moments that
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS April 11, 2026 Tomorrow, we continue with our series entitled: Show Them The Exit. For a church that celebrates an open door and a true spirit of hospitality, it feels a little counterproductive to give a title to anything that suggests we are showing someone the door. All jokes aside, over my years of ministry, I have met too many people who have literally been shown
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS April 10, 2026 The other night, Donna and I caught the movie Nuremberg, starring Russell Crowe and Rami Malek. It was a look at the Nuremberg Trial and much of what went into preparing for the trial. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring (Crowe), the second in command of Nazi Germany, was being brought to trial, but the United States wanted an Army Psychiatrist, Douglas Kelley (Malek), to watch
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS April 9, 2026 Many people are eager to pack up Easter the day after, much like Christmas. While I understand the desire to anticipate May Day, for those who know what it is, the Christian Calendar includes an entire Season of Eastertide. We transition from Eastertide on Pentecost Sunday, which falls on May 21st this year. Throughout this current season, there are numerous stories, both from
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS April 7, 2026 Guest Writer: Rev. Becky Winders Why We Dress Up in New Clothes at Easter Reflections from Childhood and Faith Easter has always been a time of renewal and celebration, marked not only by the promise of spring but also by cherished traditions. As a little girl, I looked forward to wearing a new dress, a pretty hat, white gloves, and new white shoes
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS April 8, 2026 Though I focused this Easter on Matthew’s telling of the resurrection story, I have always liked a line from Luke’s telling: “But Peter ran to the tomb. When he bent over to look inside, he saw only the linen cloth. Then he returned home, wondering what had happened” (Luke 24:12). After the women gave witness to the resurrected Christ, Peter hightailed it to
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS April 6, 2026 Prayer for the Week: In a world filled with violence and unhinged threats of violence; in a world where too many children experience suffering that is easily avoidable if there were even a semblance of justice and compassion; in a world lost to a dance between arrogance and a delusional lust for power, how can we proclaim that your great gift of love