A new school year begins and students, teachers, administrators, and staff are filled with anticipation and with trepidation Anticipation for learning and growth, for friendships that will be developed, and for lives that will be changed for the better through education. Trepidation for continuing to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, for tough assignments, for days…
The Music is Always Louder Than the Crying
Advent is my favorite liturgical season. I love the anticipation and expectation that a new hope will soon be born into the world. Lord knows, the world needs something. Long ago, the majority of those living under the rule of the Roman Empire was waiting on a long-awaited Messiah to bring light to their darkness.…
Not Again- The Cost of Gun Violence
Sunday afternoon. I preached in the morning and following lunch with family and friends was sitting on the back patio, making my way to the coveted Sunday afternoon preacher’s nap. The news alert came on my phone. Not Again. Another shooting, this time at the Landing in Jacksonville. I’ve been to the Landing. People I…
One Pastor’s Prayer for National Day of Prayer
What are you praying for today? It is, of course, the National Day of Prayer. This day was signed into being by Harry S. Truman, originally as a Spring counterpart to Thanksgiving. The idea was that Americans, from all faith backgrounds, would take a day to give thanks and to offer prayers for the United States…
Thursday- A Difficult but Important Meal
I can’t help but wonder if the Passover meal that Jesus shares with his disciples seems odd to them. In Mark’s Gospel, it is the twelve disciples who seem to be the last to understand what is going on around them. Jesus has been trying to teach them about his upcoming death, but they don’t…
Tuesday-Jesus’ Final Exam
We come to Tuesday of Jesus’ Final Week. Much of Tuesday will be spent teaching in the courtyard of the temple. Mark’s Narrative of Tuesday covers almost 3 chapters, a total of 115 verses. It is by far the longest of the days in scripture. Almost two-thirds of the time is spent in conflict…
Monday- Turning the Tables
As we begin the second day of Jesus’s Last Week, he has entered into Jerusalem and drawn a big crowd for his parade which proclaims that the kingdom of God, God’s way of life is here. He concluded that day by going into the Temple in Jerusalem and looking around. The temple was the holiest…
“Loving On Each Other” as a Poor Substitute for Real Love
“We just need to love on each other” I’ve learned that this phrase, used even by a well-meaning person, typically means that we are going to do nothing to improve the individual or collective well-being. Often it is served up with a side dish of judgement, while having an excuse for not leaving one’s comfort…
The President Who Would Not Welcome Jesus
Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” These words have stood through time on the to remind us that all are welcome in the United States. We…
Killing Baby Jesus
Today's post is a guest post by Michael McCluskey. Michael always makes me think deeper about my own faith and is one of my favorite conversation partners. He is a junior at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and a member of Sandy Springs Christian Church in Atlanta. Every year as we Disciples celebrate the…
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