A few weeks ago, I sat down for a beer with a fellow pastor. Actually, I had hard cider- he had the beer. The pastor is theologically conservative and sees me- a gay pastor with an orthodox theology as a bit of an enigma. We had a very good discussion talking about church and life... Continue Reading →
Sermon: “On the Verge of a Miracle”
“On the Verge of a Miracle” Luke 17:11-19 Twenty-First Sunday of Pentecost October 13, 2013 First Christian Church Mahtomedi, MN I grew up in very unusual area. My home town of Flint is about an hour West and South of Canada. Yes, you heard me correctly, South to Canada. Detroit is the only place in... Continue Reading →
Come Sunday: “Let’s Get Liminal” (October 13, 2013)
Borders are interesting things. I grew up in Michigan only an hour in two directions to the US/Canadian border. When driving accross a border, you stop at a booth where someone from Customs asks why you are coming to their fair nation and what are your intentions. After looking at our passports, the officer waves... Continue Reading →
Sermon: “Go Small or Go Home”
“Go Small or Go Home” Luke 17:1-10 Twentieth Sunday of Pentecost First Christian Church Mahtomedi, MN I love riding rollercoasters. I love going at high speeds, being dropped from terrifying heights and basically feeling like you just might lose your life. It’s been wonderful to know that my partner Daniel also loves rollercoasters. I’ve ridden... Continue Reading →
“It’s the End of the World As We Know It!” (Or Not)
The government shutdown is frustrating on many levels. I do think the House Republicans are silly in their demands that the President would simply cave and let signature program of his tenure be dismantled (and I say that as someone that has issues with the Affordable Care Act). But as much as the House GOP... Continue Reading →
Sermon: “Well I’ll Be Damned?”
Luke 16:19-31 Eighteenth Sunday of Pentecost September 29, 2012 First Christian Church Mahtomedi, MN The first time I ever really saw a panhandler was when I lived in Washington, DC. I lived in the nation’s capital from 1992 to 1996 doing various jobs at nonprofits. I haven’t been to DC in years, so things might... Continue Reading →
Friendship, the Bible and 2 Couples
A few days ago, I went to the wedding of two dear friends. They've been together for 30 years, but with the advent of same sex marriage in Minnesota, they decided to have a public wedding. Talk about a long engagement. One of the passages used during the service was the first chapter of the... Continue Reading →
Same Name, Different Church
So, I haven't really shared the news: I am now the solo pastor of a church. First Christian is small congregation located in Mahtomedi, a suburb of St. Paul. The church was in St. Paul until the mid-90s when it sold its old building and moved to Mahtomedi. Their former pastor was there for about... Continue Reading →
Sermon: “People Make the World Go ‘Round”
Luke 16:1-13 Seventeenth Sunday of Pentecost September 22, 2013 First Christian Church Mahtomedi, MN If there’s one thing that I absolutely love, is listening to R&B music from the early 1970s. I picked this up basically by osmosis. My Dad would sometimes go downstairs and listen to music on his combination record player/8 track tape... Continue Reading →
The Caveman and the Pastor
“What would happen if the autism gene was eliminated from the gene pool? You would have a bunch of people standing around in a cave, chatting and socializing and not getting anything done.” -Temple Grandin “In an ideal world the scientist should find a method to prevent the most severe forms of autism but... Continue Reading →