I had a wonderful opportunity to spend Saturday with eleven kids on Holy Ground at the Spiritual Retreat at the Christian Conference Center in Newton while Pastor Brian was ministering to the adults. The break from the chaos of everyday life and routines was refreshing for not only me but the families that made it…
Last week, we celebrated the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost – and our current sermon series is exploring what “Life in the Spirit” is all about. So far, we’ve talked about how the Spirit connects us to the Biblical story and to one another – despite our differences. Last Sunday, I talked about…
The first time she said it, I giggled with her. “Look! Silly Jesus.” The second comment drew my attention. “Aw, Jesus is nice!” And then as Pastor David flipped to yet another sermon slide, my 2 year old granddaughter says, “There’s Jesus and his friends!” Now I was stunned! We were doing such a fine…
During the Middle Ages, Pentecost was one of the most extravagantly celebrated of all the Christian holidays. Hidden behind the dramatic paintings on the domed ceilings of the great cathedrals were carefully disguised trap doors. During the Pentecost worship service, servants would climb up on the roof and at just the right moment would open…
I’ve been on a quest for the good life. I’m sure I’m not alone in that. You know what that means when I say that, right? The good life… It’s like when I’m outside with my daughter, and we’re playing and we fall to the ground and we roll around until we finally land in…
Aren’t they amazing! If you didn’t already know that, then many of you saw it with your own eyes this past weekend as around 60 children and youth led worship at all four of our worship services. From prayers and scripture readings to vocal and instrumental music – our kids did it all! In a…
Spring is here…that means time to prune those shrubs and roses. To look the best that they can be, they need trimming. We Christians need to be pruned in our lives so that we can be the best that we can be for our Lord. We need to prune that branch of jealousy, or that…
Every day we are confronted by numerous choices; most of them inconsequential. But occasionally we are faced with more difficult decisions. For those of us who’ve had to live with the fallout of a bad decision (and don’t want to go there again), someone came up with a list of eight tests for decision making.…
Have you ever thought of Facebook as a blessing? A blessing–really? When someone shares a Facebook post and tells the world about the ways in which they have experienced God in their lives that is a blessing! Whether there is a post about an answer to prayer, a life changed by Jesus, or simply a…
The world is truly a “wonder-full” place. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists in history, also saw the beauty in God’s creation. He once said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” I confess that…