Romans 8:26-39 Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 27, 2014 First Christian Church Mahtomedi, MN Listen to: Ain’t No Need to Worry | Sermons from FCC- St. Paul. About fifteen years ago, I was down in Louisiana for my uncle Joe’s 80th birthday party. I remember sitting in the dining room of Uncle Joe’s house... Continue Reading →
Repost: Saving Liberal Christianity
The following is a post written in 2012. On the heels of what I wrote late last week on the pitfalls of Progressive Christianity, there has been a flurry of articles on the future of liberal Christianity. I want to start off with a piece by Allan Bevere who wrote the following last Friday: In... Continue Reading →
Jesus of Suburbia
It's coming up to a year since I've been at First Christian of St. Paul which is in Mahtomedi, MN. One of the things that was kind of hammered home to me in seminary is to learn to do ministry in a certain context. And with this call, context matters, at least to me. I've... Continue Reading →
Sermon: “All In Due Time”
God knows there are weeds in the world. Not only in the big actions taking place in our world, but the weeds that grow up around each and everyone of us. But we shouldn’t fear the weeds. We shouldn’t think it is up to us to get rid of the weeds. God has a plan.
Sermon: “Better Living Through Grace”
Another sermon for this coming Sunday preached in 2005. Matthew 13:1-9,18-23, Romans 8:1-11, Isaiah 55:1-5,10-13 July 10, 2005 Community of Grace Christian Church St. Paul, MN When I was growing up in Michigan, I would always see these commercials on TV that made no sense to me. As most of you know, my... Continue Reading →
Sermon: “Better Churches and Gardens”
This is the sermon I wrote for this Sunday back in 2008. “Better Churches and Gardens” Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 July 13, 2008 Lake Harriet Christian Church Minneapolis, MN Last Thursday night, I decided to do something that I haven’t done in a long, long time. Long before I could drive. Long before I graduated from... Continue Reading →
We Call Ourselves Disciples
My wife Jan and I have been members of First Christian Church of St. Paul for nearly 20 years. We love the congregational focus. We particularly embrace the dedication to the principles of wholeness and inclusiveness of the Disciples of Christ, that welcome everyone to the Communion Table with no exceptions. We have recently rededicated... Continue Reading →
Musings on the Hobby Lobby Affair
So, as we all know, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Olkahoma based Hobby Lobby in a case involving the affordable care act. The family owned company sued the government saying that being forced to pay for certain birth control violated their religious freedom. Before I get to the imbroglio, I wanted to share... Continue Reading →
Let Africa Be Africa
Recently, there was a report on National Public Radio about how China is coming into Africa and making deals in various nations. The story focused on Chinese business ventures in Zambia and Tanzania, but widens it's scope to the entire continent which will be come a market of 3 billion by the end of the... Continue Reading →
The Care and Feeding of Aspies
It's taken me a few years to realize how different I am from most of humanity. The thing about Asperger's is that you think your life is normal. What I see is my reality. But of course that is not how life works. I am different from others. And that difference can lead to some... Continue Reading →
The Clockwork Pastor 