This summer the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will gather for its biennial General Assembly in Orlando. One of the items to be considered is a resolution proclaiming the denomination Open and Affirming to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. A resolution is for the most part a sense of the Assembly and carries no... Continue Reading →
Wait for the Healing
Back in May of 2012 , I shared a story of what happened at a Baptist church I attended in Washington, DC in the early 90s. It was a story of how people who disagreed with each other on the issue of homosexuality were able to still be friends and support each other. Around that... Continue Reading →
Sunday Sermon: “No Do Overs”
This is a sermon I preached in 2007 for the Baptism of Our Lord which is next Sunday. I happen to be preaching next Sunday. No, I won't be using this sermon. “No Do Overs” Isaiah 43:1-7, Luke 3:15-22 January 7, 2007 (Baptism of Our Lord) Community of Grace Christian Church* Minneapolis, MN Did you... Continue Reading →
On Getting With the Program
Since I work for the Presbyterians, I spent some time this summer watching the live feed from the 220th General Assembly in Pittsburgh. On the penultimate day of the Assembly there was discussion on allowing ministers to be able to marry same-sex couples. It was not a surprise to see conservatives quoting scripture. In fact,... Continue Reading →
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Social Conservatives
I happened to look at a sermon I wrote about 7 years ago. It was during the time I was involved in a new church start. Reading the sermon, I tend to think it wasn't my best sermonizing. The sermon seems a fitting for the current context; it was based on Micah 6:1-8 and focused... Continue Reading →
A Pastoral Letter on the Marriage Amendment
I wrote the following for the church newsletter regarding the proposed Minnesota Marriage Amendment which would limit marriage to one man and one woman. The thrust of this letter was to share why I stood where I stood, but do it (hopefully) in a spirit of respect towards those I disagree with. I love chatting... Continue Reading →
Theology and Same-Sex Marriage
In a few weeks, my partner Daniel and I will celebrate five years of marriage. Since we live in Minnesota where same-sex marriage is not legal, it was not something recognized by the state. But our marriage, our joining together, was blessed by the church. We had our ceremony at an Episcopal church in the... Continue Reading →
I Miss the Old Mel White
I recently read an interview with Rev. Mel White. Most of you know him as someone who grew up as an evangelical, was a ghostwriter for many big evangelical stars and then came out as gay. I remember hearing about him in the mid-to-late 90s and back then he was kind of the SpongeBob Squarepants... Continue Reading →
Same-Sex Marriage: A Response
I originally posted this on my political blog, Big Tent Revue in 2011. On September 15, 2007, I got married. It was a pretty normal, run-of-the-mill event as weddings go. I was held in a small picturesque Episcopal Church just outside of Minneapolis. The sanctuary was decorated with flowers. The families of both parties were... Continue Reading →
We Can’t Be Friends
It was about 20 years ago, that I attended a large Baptist church in Washington, DC. The church was an odd mix, or at least it would be odd today. Evangelicals and liberals were somehow able to worship together, along side a healthy dose of members from Latin America and Asia.The church decided at some... Continue Reading →
The Clockwork Pastor 