During the past twenty years, I have had the privilege of officiating many funerals and celebrations of life. The impact that the deceased person has had on the lives of family and friends is often apparent in the conversations before and after the service. I am convinced that the best legacy we can leave when our time on earth is done is…

I hope you are enjoying the cooler weather, just in time for pumpkin patch! This is a time of year when we have the privilege of having many people from all walks of life on our campus. Thank you for showing genuine hospitality to everyone you encounter.  Our beloved facilities manager, C.H. Hibbard, has turned in his resignation effective December 1, 2023. We…

When I was much younger, people older than me told me that time would seem to move even faster as I got older. They were right! Here we are in the last quarter of 2023, and before we can blink, we will be in the midst of the holiday season. My prayer for all of us between now and then is that…

Rachel Held Evans was a young woman who wrote extensively about her Christian faith. She died before the age of 40, but she offered timeless wisdom in her writings. Regarding the kingdom of God, she referred to it as “a group of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy or good, but because they are…

Recently, I read an article about seeing with the “eyes of the heart.” The author of the article, Peter Marty, points out that Jesus had a “steady interest in blind people” and Jesus had a “hope for all of us to see truth with more than the eyes of our face.” While I cannot imagine the challenges of daily living as a…

I am currently reading a new book entitled “The Great Dechurching.” As the title suggests, the book explores the current reality of American life in which fewer and fewer people are involved with local churches. While the rate of decline in church participation is disturbing, the news is not all bad. Extensive surveys of the “dechurched” reveal that most of these folks…

As a young adult, one of my favorite bands was the Grateful Dead. The band had a hippie reputation that some folks saw as deviant and rebellious. However, the lyrics to many of the songs referenced a spirit of shared sufferings and shared life experiences. There was a message of hope that ran through the lyrics. Recently, I discovered a book entitled…

This week I read an interesting article offering a positive, hope-filled vision of the Christian faith despite so much negative news. The author states, “What if we saw Christianity not as a fragile artifact to be clung to and defended but as something waiting to be made?” In other words, Jesus is alive and guiding us into a future that we, as…

Hurricane season is upon us, and I am grateful that Florida did not see the level of destruction that some folks feared that Idalia would bring. Reflecting on the process of preparing for a storm, I see several encouraging faith lessons. First, changing events can and do require that we adjust our plans. Secondly, the ability to pivot and adjust with minimal…

I have been pleased to see a number of new faces at worship the past couple of weeks. I am offering a new member class starting Sunday, September 10, 2023. That is the Sunday when we will have “pizza with the pastors” after the 11amservice. The September 10 time together will be very informal, with the goal of getting to know each other better. Anyone interested in membership…