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    “Strange” – a Facebook Live sermon preached for First United Methodist Church of Orlando, on Sunday, March 22, 2020

    “Strange” – a Facebook Live sermon preached for First United Methodist Church of Orlando, on Sunday, March 22, 2020

    Alongside Babylon’s streams, there we sat down, crying because we remembered Zion.  We hung our lyres up in the trees there      because that’s where our captors asked us to sing; our tormentors requested songs of joy: “Sing us a song about Zion!” they said. But how could we possibly sing…

    March 22, 2020
  • Change Church Death Faith Pain and Suffering Uncategorized
    “It’s the end of the Church as we know it, and I feel fine.”

    “It’s the end of the Church as we know it, and I feel fine.”

    What is the Church’s role in this crisis?  Most Church professionals are trying to figure that out, as best we can, day by day.  Seven days ago, the idea of closing the Church for a virus seemed preposterous.  Seven days later, we’re planning for the possibility of months of closure. …

    March 20, 2020
  • Bible Church Community Jesus Pain and Suffering Preaching Sermon Uncategorized
    “Compassionate Community” – a sermon prepared for First Church Orlando, for our series, “Christ Centered Community”

    “Compassionate Community” – a sermon prepared for First Church Orlando, for our series, “Christ Centered Community”

    “12 Christ is just like the human body—a body is a unit and has many parts; and all the parts of the body are one body, even though there are many. 13 We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jew or Greek, or slave or free, and we…

    March 15, 2020
  • Bible Church Community Preaching Sermon Sunday Morning Uncategorized Worship
    “Christ Centered Community” – a sermon preached on March 8, 2020, at the First United Methodist Church of Orlando

    “Christ Centered Community” – a sermon preached on March 8, 2020, at the First United Methodist Church of Orlando

    4 Now you are coming to him as to a living stone. Even though this stone was rejected by humans, from God’s perspective it is chosen, valuable. 5 You yourselves are being built like living stones into a spiritual temple. You are being made into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices…

    March 10, 2020
  • Church Culture Diversity Justice Racism Society United Methodist
    The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Hero White and Black America Needed, and Needs.

    The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Hero White and Black America Needed, and Needs.

    maybe, white America needed and needs Dr. King as much as black America did and does, to confront our privilege and unconscious racial biases, to challenge our complicit participation in societal injustices, and to awaken us to the great gift of diversity and the myriad contributions of African-Americans to American…

    January 20, 2020
  • Calling Christmas Church
    I’ll be home for Christmas…

    I’ll be home for Christmas…

    If you happen to attend a Christmas Eve service tonight – whether it be your first, or one of many – I hope it makes an impression on you!  I hope you’re moved by the beauty of what you see and hear.  I hope you’re touched by the pastor’s message. …

    December 24, 2019
  • Faith Prayer Soul Spiritual Growth Spirituality
    Stop Ignoring God

    Stop Ignoring God

    What if we paid more attention, more often, to God’s presence and movements?  What if we were more aware?  What if we more frequently, consistently, intentionally paused to acknowledge God’s presence?  What if we trained our selves to be more sensitive and aware of the Spirit’s moves within ourselves and…

    November 4, 2019
  • Books Culture Diversity Preaching Sermon Sermon Preparation Theology words
    A Little Embarrassed…

    A Little Embarrassed…

    I’m curious what you’re reading, and if there are authors you’d recommend to diversify my reading list.  Whatever you’re reading, I encourage you to diversify your reading list, as well.

    September 30, 2019
  • Biblical Ethics Character Life Reconciliation words
    I may not like you…

    I may not like you…

    As a person of faith, I may not like everyone (I don’t), but I can and must treat all people with dignity and respect.  I may not respect a person’s politics, their taste in music, the jokes they tell, their recreational choices, their affiliations and allegiances, their philosophical leanings, or…

    September 16, 2019
  • Life Ministry Soul
    How a house becomes a home…

    How a house becomes a home…

    If you’ve ever visited one of our previous houses, or someday visit our new one (we do plan to live here a LONG time!), you may not know or understand the particular story our stuff is telling – it is a unique and eclectic assortment!  But, it will be hard…

    August 19, 2019
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