This last Sunday we celebrated Pentecost which is the birthday of the church. We are reminded each year of the Scriptures in the Book of Acts that describe flames of fire that rested upon the heads of those present as the Holy Spirit descended to dwell within each of them. As thousands were baptized that day, the church was birthed.

Look around for a very large tree that is tall and has branches that extend far out from its trunk. Lie down on the ground under that tree and pause there quietly. Don’t worry if anyone sees you, they won’t think you have lost their mind...they will be envious of you taking that moment.

When Dayton, Ohio was put under a tornado warning before the tornadic activity began thousands of social media posts said..."Thanks for ruining my night Jamie. (Jamie Simpson is the Meteorologist on TV)  You ruined Bachelorette for everyone." Another said: "Get off my TV."

This really makes me ask several questions about our priorities and also our response to interruptions in our day. Am I the only one wondering????

Memorial Day seems to have diverse purposes as we observe the upcoming weekend.

 

1.The original purpose was to honor those who died in serving our country.

2. This seems to have expanded to decorating not only gravesites of those who had served our country but also our other loved ones.

Archived Posts

What just missed the cut for Sunday’s Sermon

Naaman’s servants may actually become one of the hidden gems of the sermon. They say, essentially: “If the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it.” 

One of the Longest Benedictions I Ran Out of Time to Share

          Maybe you know the story of how Joseph and Mary accidentally left Jesus at the gas station on their way home from Jerusalem.  Well, not the gas station bathroom in Jesus’ case.  Joe and Mary are far down the road before they realize Jesus isn’t with them...

So many quips and quotes...

So little time to preach

I wonder what Mary and Martha’s phones might look like:

*  Martha = the open browser with 27 tabs

*  Mary = the single window that matters

*  Psalm 46 = God saying, “Close the tabs.”

Quotable Outtakes That Didn’t Make the Sermon This Week

“When you try to control everything, you don’t just exhaust yourself—you quietly replace trust in God with trust in you.” & more 

There is a challenge when it comes to preaching the Word of God. 

         Preachers are called to open up and interpret the word—inspired and written down thousands of years ago—and make it relevant to a very different world.  On top of that there’s a degree of persuasion that goes along with the process.