Category: Church Stuff
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After Election Day…
I had the honor of writing this letter, which was signed by nearly 45 area clergy. It represents our hope and prayer for our country in the days following the election on November 8th. On November 9th, we awake to the results of an election that has bitterly divided our nation. It is tempting to…
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This Place Could Be Beautiful
1 Kings 19:1-15a Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by…
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Remembering Orlando
The following remarks were delivered at the Ivyland Borough Vigil held on Tuesday, June 14th for the Victims of the Orlando Massacre: On Sunday morning, we woke up to yet another reminder that we still live in a culture of violence. Perhaps, like me, you woke up early expecting another day of worship when you first heard…
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Trust the Holy Spirit
Acts 16:9-15 During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. We…
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The Politics of Pastoring
One of the most frequent questions that people ask me when they find out that I am a pastor (other than the classic “you look so young to be a pastor!”) is this: Do you talk about politics when you preach??? The folks who ask this question are varied–they are young and old, rich and poor,…
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A Reflection on Easter Morning
Luke 24:1-12 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood…
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A Reflection for Maundy Thursday
Mark 14:17-25 When it was evening, he came with the twelve. And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, “Surely, not I?” He said to…
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Holy Wednesday
Mark 14:1-11 It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.” While he was at Bethany in the…
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A Prayer for the World in the Wake of Brussels
Holy God- We live increasingly in a world of violence, and we offer our prayers today for those in Brussels whose world has been pierced by the sword of terror. For civilians who fear the threat of bombs in public places–airports and subways, markets and malls–we pray. For the families of the dead in Brussels,…
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Holy Monday
John 12:1-11 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and…
Deeper in me than I 