ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJanuary 14, 2024 Have you ever felt like something occurred at the absolute right time? I’m pretty sure we can all name a time or two when something happened at the absolute worst time. In those good moments, we often say things like, “It’s like the stars aligned” or “God was guiding every step.” There are a lot of theological questions that come to mind in those moments,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJanuary 13, 2024What does it mean to honor a legacy like that of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? He was not a perfect man, yet he sought to embody the perfect love of God. I cannot fathom the hateful rhetoric, threats against family, and physical violence that he endured. I would hope that I’d stay true to my convictions, but I cannot guarantee it. King, along with
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJanuary 12, 2024Today is the 14th anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti that killed as many as 300,000. I was rereading some statistical information about the event and the days following, and it suddenly hit me that statistics are really the only way I can even begin to fathom that kind of horror and suffering. I don’t know exactly where the line is, and it probably depends
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJanuary 11, 2024This Sunday, we will look at the scripture from Matthew’s Gospel called the Massacre of the Innocents (Matthew 2:13ff), when Herod, who was the King of Judea, gave orders to execute every child two years old and under living around Bethlehem. Now such an order would have been recorded in Roman history, and since it was not, there is some question about its historical validity.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJanuary 10, 2024Over the weekend, I heard an interesting (troubling) conversation about who was deserving of an act of compassion and who was not. I won’t get into the specifics, though you might be able to guess if I gave you three chances. The determination of deservability has been a discussion point since our ancestors began to walk upright. Whether or not someone deserves something often has
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJanuary 9, 2024Last week, Donna and I saw The Tina Turner Musical. It wasn’t my favorite, but the lead was amazing. There was important truth-telling in the musical, specifically the naming of the physical abuse Tina Turner experienced in her marriage to Ike Turner. They did not try to hide it or leave it to the imagination. Toward the end, when Tina decided to fight back, the
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJanuary 8, 2024Prayer for the Week: I seek an epiphany of your life-changing grace, O Lord. As I enter this new year, I desire to be transformed by the renewal of my mind, spirit, and body. All that I am, I wish to be aligned with you and the ways of Jesus. May this prayer be a confirmation of my commitment to this sacred task. Amen.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJanuary 7, 2024Epiphany SundayThe day has arrived! Yes, it is Camel Parade Day. I hope to see as many of you as possible at Meyer Park (10am). Not only is it a fun experience for Cypress Creek folks, and not only does it teach the difference between Epiphany and Christmas, but it is also an opportunity to share who we are with our neighbors, who we don’t
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJanuary 6, 2024Today, on what is officially Epiphany (we will celebrate it tomorrow in worship and with the Camel Walk), I am mindful of the Magi, or what some believe might better be described as astrologers or Zoroastrians. Over the years, some people have told me that after their visit with the Holy Family, the Magi became Christians. First of all, there was no Christianity at that
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJanuary 5, 2024The poet and 17th-century social influencer John Milton wrote, “Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies.” I wonder how many people go through life waiting for some over-the-top extravaganza of an epiphany, only to miss hundreds and hundreds of what Milton called “everyday epiphanies”? There is something to the notion of gratitude providing us a lens through which we are able to see