I have a friend who must use that phrase 500 times a day. She’s a straightforward person who has learned – the hard way I gather – to cushion some of what she bluntly observes with the qualifying words, “I’m just saying.” I’ve always taken her to mean that she’s stating what she knows or… Continue Reading→

This week’s article is a commercial, an advertisement and reminder, of several of the major things The Capital District will be doing this summer to better equip ourselves as disciples. An ad or commercial is a great thing; it’s a preview of coming attractions. Please make a note of these; I’ll see you at most… Continue Reading→

This Pentecost I heard an excellent message by a lay member of the church where I worshiped. He talked about what the gift of the Holy Spirit means to us as individuals and how we should live in the Spirit. About one-third of the way into his sermon, however, he made a huge and wonderful… Continue Reading→

This Easter Season I’ve been blessed to worship in a variety of the local churches of our district.  I got to hear the end of a youth Sunday School class a few weeks ago and want to share my version of the lesson they had that teaches me a great deal about myself and what… Continue Reading→

I was struck all Holy Week and early Easter season by the relentless witness of Scripture. And not just about Jesus but also about the disciples who became apostles. It made me remember things I learned long ago and value today. The disciples were faint-hearted at best during Jesus’ trials but the apostles were fearless… Continue Reading→

Before each charge conference in the fall, I read the “State of the Church” report. Last year, amidst all the other commonalities and delights, there was a surprise. Five different local churches reported that IMPACT, our annual mission celebration, had so shaped their lives that they were doing a new mission, doing mission differently, or… Continue Reading→

Jesus said to Mary, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father.  But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”  Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the… Continue Reading→

I usually do a good job of keeping track of the day of the week and date of the day.  It always amuses me to hear folks wonder “What day is this?”  That may be a sign of an over-planned life because on vacation and spiritual retreats I have sometimes had to figure out what… Continue Reading→

[F]or as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. I Corinthians 15:22   I met a differently-abled young man, John, a few days ago.  Though a grown fellow of around 25 or so, John thinks like a young child.  I met John at a birthday party.  John spent the entire… Continue Reading→