I am so grateful that I recently moved some self-care inertia and started meeting a long-time goal — swimming in Lake Michigan as often as possible while the weather holds. I’ve really been enjoying my early morning trips to Montrose Beach. This morning the water was exquisitely warm but, alas, it was also very very…
I don’t put “truth” in quotations to be squishy; I actually believe in objective truth, the current Reality that IS for you and me and all. And, the Truth about God’s judgement (executed by grace) and the world-changing impact of Jesus Christ (executed by forgiveness and reconciliation) through the one true church (all of those…
Yes, that’s a root meaning of “worship.” So, as we gather on Sundays (or any other time) we are choosing to trust what is worthy. To seek what is worthy. God’s grace and truth known in Jesus Christ. Time well-spent in “good company” (not perfect) for silence, contemplation, music (energy medicine, some would say:), learning,…
We set “The Lord’s Table” week by week by week. One way we do it… We open the church on Sundays (Zoom too), claim aloud His name and His intentions for us, sing and pray and read and share. We gather around in the physical space, we create space to receive and give together with…
Yes. I’m saying THAT again. On the other side of our trip to North Dakota and too few days with grieving family, it’s on my mind. For the long challenging road of pain and testing my family will face, it’s on my mind. For the regrets I carry about my past emotional distance from family-…
The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. This is the Truth when there are no answers: God is close. God will sustain. As we learn to allow this sustaining, to sense it, our spirit will indeed be safeguarded. We’ll note when we are learning it, but (thank God!) God’s peace and grace…
These are wrenching times. From our limited human perspective, it may seem sometimes like an unraveling around us, a spiraling of division and decay. Many evidence of people being, apparently, their worst selves. Perhaps there’s some greater unveiling or humbling at work. Perhaps not. Perhaps that depends on us. These are beautiful times. Graduations, reunions,…
For the last couple years we have opened the “Offerings” moment in worship with an affirmation that sounds like this: “YOU are a gift. Your presence is a gift, your time is a gift. Your friendship and counsel and prayer are gifts. Your financial offerings are a gift…” These are indeed all true as we seek…
In 1989, Carla and I made a first drive to Chicago to visit a group of strangers who would become a new family for us. That church – Grace Baptist Church – would become our home for 18 years, the last seven of which I served as pastor. This special place of “sanctuary” was founded…
The phrase “Forward in Faith” is all over our Eden Past. The phrase is on our anniversary booklets of past big gatherings, fundraising visions from the 1950s on and a good number of annual anniversary services like tomorrow’s. We’re celebrating 109! It’s a very good, sound biblical theme and its simplicity is appealing. Perhaps, though, in…
