“Keep Calm and Carry On” Mark 13:1-8 and Hebrews 10:11-18 Twenty Fifth Sunday of Pentecost November 18, 2012 First Christian Church Minneapolis, MN I can remember that afternoon very clearly. It was a rainy Sunday and I was taking a nap after church. It was then we heard the sirens go on. We turned on... Continue Reading →
Soul Searching, Republicans and the Mainline Church
Being a Republican right now is both frustrating and a bit hopeful. As someone who has been worried about the direction of the party over the years, there is something hopeful of how Republicans are trying to understand the sweeping victory of the Democrats last week. I've seen a bunch of articles about the how... Continue Reading →
Resurrection and “Skyfall”
My partner and I love James Bond movies, so of course we went to see the latest film in the franchise, Skyfall, on opening night. I tend to think it's going to be one of the better of the Bond flicks and I've enjoyed the direction Bond has taken since Daniel Craig took the role... Continue Reading →
Our Hope Is Built on Nothing Less…
A few thoughts on the election... -My candidate for President didn't win, but the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Minnesota was defeated. Three other states, Maine, Maryland and Washington all voted in favor of legalizing same sex marriage. Personally, I think it's a great move forward in gay rights. That said, I think... Continue Reading →
Jesus Christ: Blue or Red?
CNN has a interesting quiz you take to determine what kind of Jesus you prefer. Yeah, I'm serious. Read the article before it, because it speaks volumes about our current world. Here's part of it: If elections are about choices, so is faith. And in Christianity, liberals and conservatives choose to see Jesus in... Continue Reading →
Sunday Sermon: “When You Do This, Remember Me”
“When You Do This, Remember Me” John 11:34-42 and Revelation 21:1-6 All Saints Sunday First Christian Church Minneapolis, MN I can remember like it was yesterday. It was November of 1976 and the election season was winding down. As the grown ups were getting ready to vote between then Governor Jimmy Carter and President Gerald... Continue Reading →
A Prayer for Those Affected By Hurricane Sandy
From Scot McKnight: Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served but to serve: Bless all who, following in his steps, give themselves to the service of others; that with wisdom, patience, and courage, they may minister in his Name to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy; for the love of him who laid down his life... Continue Reading →
Follow the (Aspie) Leader
One of the things you don't hear a lot about when folks talk about persons on the autism spectrum is to be an effective leader at work. Most of the time when there is talk about the employment of aspies, it's usually about how hard it is to keep a job or talk about how... 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 →
Social Media and Social Witness
A recent post by Michael Kruse put a finger on something that has been bothering me lately. Kruse is talking here about pastors and social media: I unfollowed six people on twitter in recent months because of their incessant divisive political tweets, especially during the primary debates. The majority have been pastors or academics, including... Continue Reading →