Dear friends, During this very strange and unprecedented year, I am extremely thankful that I serve a congregation that is both flexible and supportive as we navigate this uncharted wilderness together. While there have been many challenges along our path, there have been many more opportunities before us to serve
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Dear friends, It’s been a strange week in our nation … a presidential election unlike any other, anxiety and uncertainty as we await the outcome, concerns about unrest and violence from people who may not be happy with whatever the outcome may be. Add to all this the fact that
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Dear friends, This year has felt like we’re living upside down. Our whole world has changed in a way that most of us never imagined possible. We have experienced turmoil, tension, and loss and, as a result, we have experienced the deep grief that comes with these. One scripture that
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The first Sunday of October has been observed since the 1940s as World Communion Sunday. This year, it promises to be more poignant than ever before. Because of the pandemic, most of us have not been able to receive communion together; and those of us who have been able to
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Dear friends, Some people view the pandemic as an interruption. Others view it as a disruption. I heard this thought recently during a professional development seminar, and it resonated deeply within me. The speaker put into words the dichotomy I’ve been experiencing among friends, congregants, colleagues, community members, etc. over
Continue readingDear friends, The meteorologists are predicting a wonderful weekend that feels like fall. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some cooler outdoor temps. While things feel quite different this year – can you say, “college football”?? “People decorating for Halloween in September”?? “Virtual school”?? – one thing
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Dear church family and friends, The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us greatly. It has presented us with numerous challenges, entirely changed our way of living, and distanced all of us from being together in community. Because humans are adaptive and resilient, many of us have for the most
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Dear friends, Not sure how many of you watched my #EastSideLIFELINE last Wednesday, but it was me reflecting on how much our church and ASP (our mission arm – Avondale Samaritan Place) is moving and shaking this summer. Y’all … God is doing amazing things that we never could’ve imagined
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Dear Church Family and Friends, It’s now been 13 weeks since we last worshiped together in the sanctuary. I remember vividly that last Sunday, March 8, standing in the back of the sanctuary during the closing hymn and wondering if this might be the last time we worship together in
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The past few days I’ve struggled to find words as I’ve watched our country explode from the underlying racial tension that has been brewing for far too long. I’ve prayed for the families of George Floyd, of Breonna Taylor, of Ahmaud Arbery … that God will comfort them in the
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