On this past Tuesday, was given two unexpected gifts. First, at a Cabinet meeting, Ray Broadwell led our worship; he asked us to use a single word to describe the image we were going to see on a screen. A picture of hundreds of crosses, crowded together on a European hillside, was then on the… Continue Reading→

Last week I wrote about the fact that a church can be an “echo chamber.”  Some folks have asked me what I meant by that.  Here’s my answer! I am not long finished with getting to go, as a member of the General Conference Delegation, to all 8 districts in our Conference to talk about… Continue Reading→

This is the last of a few pieces I am writing in response to some questions I have been asked by clergy and lay leaders of our district. Throughout the winter I have tried to meet with each of those folks individually. Several of them asked questions that I thought might well interest more folks… Continue Reading→

One of the best things to happen to me lately has been that I have made a new younger friend, a guy who’s in the second grade.  “T” we’ll call him, doesn’t go to church very often at all.  He seems a little interested in what I do.  (I’ve explained that I’m a United Methodist… Continue Reading→

I am writing articles for a few weeks in response to questions I was asked during recent conversations I have had with pastors in the district.  So far, I’ve talked about my prayer life, my time use, and now I want to respond to questions about the church’s future. THE CHURCH AND ITS FUTURE Many folks are asking… Continue Reading→

This is the second of a brief series caused by the questions folks asked me when I met with pastors individually (which I’m still doing) over the past 3 months.  Last week I talked about prayer and my spiritual life because I was asked about them and asked to share my answer.  This week, I… Continue Reading→

As many of you know, I have been meeting with the various pastors in our district for the last several weeks.  There are over 150 of them with whom to meet so it takes a while.  I have asked questions and I have been asked questions. The subject of my next 4 articles will be… Continue Reading→

O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today. O Little Town of Bethlehem I sang or heard the line “Be born in us today” three times between Christmas Eve and The First Sunday of Christmas.  All three were lovely and inspiring… Continue Reading→

Our Christmas decorations are up.  (Praise the Lord!)  The most honored ones, placed high above both the dogs and Gray’s accidental brushing-level (so as not to knock them off) are the things our kids made when they were children.  The next most important are the things we’ve inherited. We have some Christmas china from a… Continue Reading→