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Sermon Blogging – “What kind of day is today?”
Last month, on Sunday, February 12th, I was privileged to speak at Elizabeth City’s annual Unity Service. The service is coordinated each year by the Elizabeth City Ministerial Association, and I came at the invitation of their current president, Rev. Shawn Blackwelder, who currently serves as pastor at Riverside UMC. Below is the text of…
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A Different Lenten Practice
This year, along with some of my now routine Lenten disciplines, I have taken on something new: pottery. It is one of those rich, biblical metaphors that I have always wanted to learn more about, and secretly always wanted to try. I have also always suspected that I would learn something new about “throwing a…
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Why I love Bethke, love Jesus, and love “Ole time religion”
What does it mean when something on the internet goes “viral?” I don’t know the precise definition some might give, but I am quite sure that Jefferson Bethke’s “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” YouTube video should qualify. It was uploaded on January 10, 2012, and as of this posting seven days later, it…
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Pray it Forward
In my previous post, “Externally Focused Prayer,” I concluded by saying that I had no preconceived notions about where this new emphasis on interceding for our community would lead. Now, after praying in a focused way for the past few weeks, I want to share some of the ways God has already been working through…
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Externally Focused Prayer
Just a few weeks ago, I attended the Bishop’s Day Apart for clergy in the North Carolina Conference. The speaker for the day was Rick Rusaw, co-author of “The Externally Focused Quest: Becoming the Best Church FOR the Community” and “The Externally Focused Life.” The central theme of the first book pivots on a simple…
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“Oh no, it’s communion Sunday”
Have you ever heard about some Christians who like to “sit out” on communion Sunday? I am not sure where (or why) this odd and disturbing practice originated, but in a few simple lines, let me share some quick reasons why you shouldn’t miss any chance to join Jesus at his table: You shouldn’t miss…
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Library Lowdown
My interview with the FUMC Library Ministry Team One of the things I love about First United Methodist Church is our library and our Library Ministry Team who are committed to learning and reading. The following is an interview with Linda Fogleman who heads up this team who wanted to know about some of my…
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SDG – A letter to Reconciliation UMC
Words cannot capture the gratitude and deep affection I have for all of you. Over the past 14 years, you have truly been a blessing to me and to my family. One clear example of such blessing is my own children. My kids have grown up with you and among you. Because of you, they…
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Why I am United Methodist Part V
(Some More Wesleyan “Conjunctive” Theology) Local and World-wide Church Church is not an abstract concept. Though it is true that Christianity has always affirmed that it includes both the living and the dead (Hebrews’ “great cloud of witnesses“), any understanding of church that is not also grounded in a specific, local context, is not a…
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Why I am United Methodist – a post series
Several years ago, I wrote a series of posts titled “Why I am United Methodist.” An edited version of a few of them are scheduled to appear in the 2011 fall issue of UM Men Magazine. So that no one has to do any digging around to find them in the archives, I thought I…
Welcome to my blog! I love theology, life, writing … and the three things often intersect on this blog. I am not sure where I first heard it, but I have never forgotten the quote: “Give me anything and I can tell you about God.” I like that. It doesn’t matter what it is – movies, pop culture, politics, the church, music, motorcycles, basketball, the beach, the mountains, war, hunger, love, forgiveness, or people and personalities – it is all raw material for reflection on the mystery and majesty of God.
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