ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 18, 2024We are just a few days into the Season of Lent, yet we know exactly where this is going. If that’s the case, why do we embrace the redemptive grace of a 1st-century peasant who will find himself left alone at the end? Why do we celebrate the ways of a teacher who will be tortured for his commitment to love and peace? Why do
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 17, 2024I’m sure someone famous said it, but I just found it on a scrap of paper when I was cleaning out my desk. It read, “Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold, but so does a hard-boiled egg.” According to Paul, we were created for the purpose of doing good works (Ephesians 2:5). Good
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 16, 2024The great Roman philosopher, Seneca, was born about the same time as Jesus, though he lived about twice as long as Jesus. One of Seneca’s quotes that has always resonated with me was the simple yet often challenging idea that “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” It makes complete sense, and human history is one example after another of this occurrence. Yet,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 15, 2024In Luke 9:51, we find a turning point in the Gospel. It is only a single verse of scripture, but a dramatic shift occurs with the simple words, “When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” There is a direct reference to his death (taken up), though his disciples are still oblivious to any
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 14, 2024It is Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday, Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day. So, which one comes first? Which one is more important? Without judgment, I would say there is a lot impacting how a person answers the question, and there is something important about both. In fact, one is about celebrating love, and the other is about doing the hard work of exploring what inside
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 13, 2024Many people will ask about this strange tradition within the Christian faith called Ash Wednesday. The funny thing is the connection to Mardi Gras, which means Fat Tuesday. Like so many things within the Christian faith, Mardi Gras grew out of an adoption process. When Christianity moved into a new area of the world, instead of trying to destroy every aspect of the culture, there
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 12, 2024Prayer for the Week: Holy God, it is a simple request that we make—may the energy of a recent sporting event be captured in the good work being done toward peace, reconciliation, justice, sustainability, equality, and helping to create genuine hope for every single person. If the energy of Vegas could be captured, the possibilities are endless. Amen.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 11, 2024Today is the annual chili cook-off! It is one of the fun, funny, silly, community-building events that does some good beyond the church. Money is raised, awards are given, some boastful smack talk is spewed in a playful way, and the church is better for it all. To do what we are called to do as followers of Jesus requires a community of folks that
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 10, 2024I was moved by a story in the magazine Christian Century entitled “Teaching ministry students to ask beautiful questions” by Mary Clark Moschella (February 2024). The article was specifically speaking to an idea called Narrative Spiritual Care. The premise of this approach is that we, as human beings, are shaped by the stories we tell about ourselves and each other. She writes, “Often we hear
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 9, 2024In the study we had yesterday on Mark’s Gospel, I made a passing comment about Mark 1:29-30 where we read: “As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.” In its history, the church has often danced around