The Pulpiteer

Here is a piece I wrote for our July Newsletter.  I thought it would be good to share via the blog.

I really enjoy my garden. I don’t know how good of a gardener I am, but I’m good enough to have tomatoes, peppers, and other veggies to eat at the end of the summer. There is nothing like vine ripened tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers from your own garden. We celebrate the harvest with BLT’s, stuffed peppers, homemade coleslaw, and fresh broccoli. This year I’ve tried growing lettuce for the first time, and already it has been fun to step out the back door and grab some fresh lettuce to top our grilled burgers. Continue Reading »

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This week we had a guest speaker at Carson City UMC – Tammy McDonald from “Saved by God’s Grace” ministries.  Tammy gave her testimony on how she and her husband, Chuck, were called into missionary work in Kenya to care for orphans and build a church.  Tammy’s testimony was amazing and it was striking to hear her humanity in the midst of God’s calling.  Tammy and Chuck had retirement dreams of building up a nest egg and traveling the country together.  They were not a couple who refrained from giving.  They were generous.  But God had more in mind for them, and that “more” involved Kenya.  Read more about the McDonald’s on their website here.
Continue Reading »

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Our Lenten worship graphic

Lent is less than a week away, and if you’ve worshipped with us either of the past two weeks, then you know that we are going to be focusing on what or who is shaping you during this Lenten season. This graphic is the one we’ll use throughout Lent – so I thought I’d post it to get you thinking ahead.
Here’s part of what I wrote for the newsletter:
Something dies in order that something can be brought to life. This idea is at the heart of the Christian message. Repentance is leaving behind your entire way of life and moving towards something else. Something dies and something is brought to life. This idea is at the heart of Lent as well. We should not simply waltz into Easter Sunday and hear about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Instead we are encouraged to spend 40 days dying to ourselves, repenting, setting aside distractions, so that when we gather on Easter Sunday and proclaim the Resurrection we are also experiencing the new life that Christ has brought about in us. There is no room for this new life if the old life is not first dealt with. Our God will have no other gods before him. There is no room for competition. Light has no commerce with darkness. Something must die in order that something else can be brought to life.

Consider these questions:

• What sorts of things are shaping you?
• How much time do you spend in prayer?
• How much scripture reading do you do?
• How many deep conversations about faith do you have with people you trust?
• How much time do you spend focusing on God?
• What are you going to do so that God can bring about new life in you?

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Thanksgiving is here. I have seen some people through the month of November write something each day that they are thankful for, and I thought that was a pretty good thing to do, but I didn’t do it myself. However, I think it would be appropriate for me to share what I am thankful for.
I am thankful to God for the salvation he gave me through Jesus Christ and the peace I’ve received through the Holy Spirit. In Jesus Christ I not only find forgiveness, peace, meaning, and purpose, but also I have hope. I hope for and long for the day when God’s kingdom will come and his will is done on earth as it is in heaven. One of the things I have taught and preached about often is that things are not now the way they ought to be. I love doing that because then I don’t have to pretend that everything is ok. But there is more. I have within me a deep hope for the day when everything is the way it ought to be. I long for that time. I am thankful for that. Continue Reading »

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Here are some pictures from Holy Saturday evening. There’s a picture of me baptizing Alexandra with Anne holding her and Elijah watching, a picture of Anne and Alexandra, and a picture of Ed’s baptism. Ed was baptized on Holy Saturday as were two of his grandchildren, which was awesome. Continue Reading »

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