The season of Lent starts next week with Ash Wednesday. Lent is the name for the period of 40 weekdays (excluding Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter. It is recognized as a time of penitence and fasting in preparation for the resurrection life of Jesus. The western church has likened this season to Jesus’ time of preparation in the wilderness prior to…

Recently, I heard a piece of advice that really resonated with me. The gist of it is that we need to remember the bright and joyful times of our lives while we go through the darker times, and we need to remember the darker times while we go through the bright and joyful times. The reason is that the Holy Spirit was…

Happy Friday! I kept my commitment again this week! I invited two people to worship at Grace. Both of these people were complete strangers, and I felt a bit awkward. However, both people were very receptive and seemed grateful for the invitation. I have noticed that as soon as people know we are not selling anything, they receive genuine invitations well.  If you…

Last week in my Gracevine article I challenged everyone to invite two people to worship at Grace online or in person. I committed to do this myself. Last Saturday, I realized I needed to keep my commitment. So, I wrote our worship times on some of my business cards and I invited two people, neither of whom I had met previously, to…

I remain committed to my Bible reading plan for 2022, and it keeps me centered on the priority of faith. You may recall that I shared this plan on the church Facebook page and on my personal Facebook page. I hope many of you are following this plan. It is not too late to adopt the plan. As of January 28, the…

Some of you have asked how my life is going as I serve as a Brevard County assistant public defender in addition to pastoring at Grace. While the short answer is “extremely busy”, the longer answer is that both settings are rich and meaningful, filled with opportunities for connection with people from all walks of life. Both settings give me the opportunity…

As we begin the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, I recall Dr. King’s famous “Letter From The Birmingham Jail.” Dr. King wrote the letter to admonish the clergy of Birmingham to be proactive in fighting injustice. King reminded them that the church is called not to support the status quo, but to create and promote communities that resemble the kingdom of…

Happy New Year! This is my first full week balancing my work at Grace with a very full schedule at the Brevard County Public Defender’s Office. I sincerely appreciate your prayers and encouragement with this journey. There are so many opportunities available each day to serve struggling people and I consider it all sacred and holy work. As a friend of mine…

Every year during Advent I try to pace myself so that I can pay attention to the people in my life and enjoy each relationship. Social gatherings are a way to recognize that people and relationships matter more than tasks and accomplishments. I have learned the hard way that I function much better if I make a list each day that includes…

One of my favorite scripture readings during Advent is a reading we will emphasize on Christmas Eve, but it is worth our attention throughout the Advent season. It is Isaiah 9:2, which states, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness——on them light has shined.” During the first two weeks…