Every year, I fill out a NCAA Tournament bracket thinking to myself, “this year I’m going to be the one guy who guesses every game right and wins the big prize.” Of course, like everyone else, my bracket is usually broken sometime the first day of the tournament. And yet, I do it again the…
It must almost be Easter! We go from beautiful spring days to snow and back to the 60’s again. Yes, that’s spring in Iowa. And with spring comes Easter! Easter lilies will beautify the sanctuary Easter weekend. The lily symbolizes life, purity, hope and the spiritual meaning of Easter; while the cross reminds us of…
Everyone that has been to camp has a memory that sticks with them. When I was in grade school, the camp I attended had a rule that if you got three letters in one day you had to climb a ladder and kiss the moose head. I was always thankful my letters were spread out…
As disciples of Jesus, we seek to maintain a relationship with God and experience his love and guidance daily. When that experience is meaningful and important to us – we want to share it with others. Unfortunately, this is where it can sometimes get complicated. Many folks are anxious about talking with others about their…
I can say with assurance and gratefulness that I have yet to find a time in my life when I was hungry and didn’t know when or how I would eat again, see a way that my needs would be met, or have any concerns about where I would sleep for the night. Unfortunately, for…
Considering the impact of Jesus’ ministry on world history, it’s hard to believe that it only lasted three calendar years. Other than the stories of Jesus’ birth in Matthew and Luke, it’s the stories of these three years that are the focus of the four Gospels. And of those three years, the most attention (by…
There are two topics Jesus loved to talk about that a lot of people consider to be off limits: forgiveness and money. It’s kind of like when they say the preacher has stopped preachin’ and gone to meddlin’. Jesus was fond of meddlin’. First of all, Jesus knew that we couldn’t live as authentic disciples…
I’d really love it if you’d answer this question for me, for yourselves. Get a pen, or put your fingers to your keys and hit post… What do you love about First Christian Church!? What we feel, think, and say about our church is really important. I happen to love our church. And there are…
I’m always a little surprised when I learn that someone doesn’t participate in any kind of social media. I do understand, though. I became a reluctant member of Facebook when my son and sister-in-law created an account in my name more than 10 years ago. Facebook has simply become a part of life and, for…
Guess what?! It’s time to start practicing for our Easter Cantata! With last year being my very first cantata…EVER, I anxiously awaited this year’s announcement! Must say, last year I was REALLY going outside of my comfort zone and really had a great time learning, singing with wonderful folks and most of all-listening to the…