Rustlings (February 8, 2021)
History has never been my strong suit. I understand its value. I hold a deep appreciation for those who retain and relay it for our benefit. However, the past is not my primary field of focus. I am also not much of a worrier. I have dreams, hopes, and plans on my calendar, but the […]
Rustlings (February 1, 2021)
My grandmother told me more than once (and your grandmother might have told you too), it is impolite to discuss religion, politics and money in public. In her mind, these subjects tended to divide people rather than bring people together. Of course, I would eventually choose a profession where these three subjects cannot be avoided. […]
Rustlings (January 25, 2021)
Every once in a while, a sermon gets me in trouble. I have typically preached in ‘free pulpits.’ These pulpits are surrounded by congregants who know two things: 1) the minister is free to preach what they sense the Holy Spirit is leading them to preach, and 2) the congregant is free to believe it […]
Rustlings (January 19, 2021)
One of the great temptations for all ministers (all people of faith, in fact) is the inappropriate redaction of our holy texts. More simply said, we quote scripture out of context. This selective redaction allows us to prop up our arguments, validate our actions, find hope for our struggles, and construct an image of God […]
Rustlings (January 11, 2021)
It is the most common sermonic rookie mistake among new preachers—cramming multiple sermons into one sermon. These lengthy diatribes usually contain three or four ideas which could each be independently shaped into a sermon. In the early days of preaching, however, we are exuberant over the wealth of discovered gems and feel the youthful pressure […]
Rustlings (January 4, 2021)
I did a thing today. It’s certainly not the first time I’ve done ‘this thing,’ but it’s the first time with this specific intentionality. (Was that convoluted enough?) I walked through the Sanctuary today. That’s it. I walked through the Sanctuary—up and down every aisle and across the breadth of the balcony. I’ve walked these […]
Rustlings (December 21, 2020)
It always arrived in late Autumn. By mid-December it was tattered, creased, marked-up and mangled. In our home, it was a shared treasure among four children. We placed our initials throughout its pages—SD, DD, JD, FD—signifying the items each child hoped to find beneath the tree on Christmas morning. The Sears Wishbook was a tangible […]
Distance Bridges (December 14, 2020)
The length of a football field… A city block… Humans love to measure distance by referring to familiar spaces. If 2020 had its own unit of distance, it would naturally be the “6-foot social distance”—as in, “Wow! Can you believe we were only ten social-distances away from that bear?” or “Honey, I’m going to be […]
Rustlings (December 7, 2020)
Alex Trevino and his family lived a few blocks from my house—the halfway point between my home and our elementary school. Each school day morning he would wait on his corner and join the parade of Mabry Street students already meandering toward the campus. Alex immigrated to the United States from Mexico. We morning walkers […]
Rustlings (November 23, 2020)
Green and red are the primary colors of the Christmas season. Burl Ives might have disagreed—arguing silver and gold. For today’s literary purposes, however, I’m going to land on green and red. This Sunday, November 29, is the First Sunday of Advent. It is also the traditional time for our Hanging of the Green service. […]