Category: grief
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A Prayer for Pentecost 2020
On this day, we celebrate your Holy Spirit, poured out upon all flesh: reminding us of your individual love and care for every single person; each made, uniquely, in your own image and likeness.
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“How are you doing?”: the many moods of an introverted pastor in an age of coronavirus
Like you, I suspect, many friends and colleagues have recently asked me, “How are you doing,” as we endure this strange season of coronavirus. Of course, I’m asking the same of them. It’s an understandable question. These are strange, unprecedented times, for all of us.
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You will see me…
Though I certainly don’t wish you suffering or pain, both are realities we all face and endure at some point in our lives. If that day is today, if this is your season of suffering, may you find some comfort and direction in these words. More – may you find…
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Darkness covered the land… (A Good Friday Sermon)
I wonder when the sun shined again. Did the sun return that day, after Jesus was taken down from his cross, or did the darkness remain, as afternoon passed into the night? Was it dark, when they laid Jesus in his tomb? Did the sun rise with the dawn on…
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Preparing for Easter
If you don’t preach, you might be surprised to learn that writing sermons for Easter and Christmas Eve are very difficult. Why? Everybody already knows the stories. Even if you’ve never walked into a church before, Easter and Christmas are still likely to be stories you have some degree of…
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What follows your “but”?
There are times, we all need to lament. I’m thankful God is graciously willing and able to receive our laments, even when they are less than kind, respectful, or faith-filled, without holding our complaints against us.
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Quicksand Spirituality
Perhaps I’m struggling because I’m supposed to speak for God. After all, that’s my job. That is what I’m paid to do. I’m supposed to know why God allows tragedies to happen. No. I take that back. I’m supposed to know why God allowed THIS tragedy to happen. I’m supposed…
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Preaching for the Governor… and Fox, NBC, CBS, ABC, Reuters…
was prepared for yesterday (Sunday, February 18, 2018) to be a “different” kind of Sunday, given the recent tragedy in our community. We’d already modified the service to address the myriad questions and emotions, to honor the dead, and to comfort the hurting. We were prepared for larger crowds, knowing…
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The Unquenchable Thirst of Grief
I recently led a memorial service for a 23-year-old man, whose family attends my church. 23-years-old is obviously too young to die, so his death was unexpected, a terrible shock, and particularly tragic. After years of addiction, successful recovery, and then a recent relapse, he died of a drug overdose. …
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