Rustlings (May 4, 2020)
(Warning: this article contains generational references which may be meaningless to those under the age of 50. Please read with caution.) A long, long time ago in a cultural milieu far, far away, we spent our summers watching re-runs on television. At 7:00pm, we would actually get off the sofa, walk to the television, pull […]
Rustlings (April 27, 2020)
I’ve become accustomed to the teasing, and I assure you I don’t mind. Recently, a family member inquired if I planned to collect an offering at my daughter’s upcoming wedding! I assured them I had not planned such…but now that they had mentioned it… A lot of ministers—television ministers, reputably—talk about money out of greed. […]
Rustlings (April 20, 2020)
And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13) Faith is grounded in the past. It is birthed from the testimonies of saints who have walked before us. It is shaped by our prior experiences of the perceived power and presence of God. We heard, […]
Rustlings (April 13, 2020)
What about Saturday nights? It has been gratifying to see so many people take advantage of the online programming our church has offered over the last several weeks. More than 3,000 people have taken advantage of our Livestream worship each week—obviously members and the community at large. More than 500 people have listened to the […]
Rustlings (April 6, 2020)
The Lenten season typically begins with the reading of Jesus’ wilderness temptations. As this unique Lenten/Covid season slowly slips into Holy Week, maybe we should glance at a portion of the story again. The first temptation is to turn stones into bread. It is the temptation to think that tending the physical needs of people […]
Rustlings (March 30, 2020)
This year’s Holy Week will be like no other. We are accustomed to gathering in our Sanctuary to wave palms on Palm Sunday, gathering in the upper room (the Parlor) to remember the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, gathering in the Carpenter Chapel to venerate the cross on Good Friday, and then cramming (in the […]
Rustlings (March 16, 2020)
What we do on Sunday mornings is important. The influence of worship and prayer in our lives and in the world should not be minimized. Prayer is our subversive work in the world. Worship is, all at once, an affirmation of our allegiance to God and a rebellion against all competing powers and systems. Our […]
Rustlings (March 9, 2020)
It was Spring Break 1980. Four college freshmen piled into a 1972 Chevy Vega, left Central Kentucky and headed to Pensacola, Florida. An ice chest took up two-thirds of the teeny-tiny trunk. It was filled with enough bologna, hot dogs, soft drinks, mustard and mayonnaise to hopefully last us four days. The remainder of cargo […]
Rustlings (March 2, 2020)
There is always something to do in Greenville. This is one of the reasons I—and so many others—love this city. Pressed into the parameters of this great city and county are countless opportunities to enjoy the arts, sports, intellectual pursuits, dining and the great outdoors. I have frequented every downtown theater and concert venue. I’ve […]
Rustlings (February 24, 2020)
I knew it. I had felt it. I had an intrinsic understanding of the concept. A colleague of mine put this reality into words, and it has stuck with me for a decade. She said, “It’s always two things.” It’s always two things. Life is never black and white. There is never ‘one side’ to […]