Unwrapping God’s Greatest Gift Advent will start on Sunday, November 30, and we will start an exciting new Advent program, Under Wraps: The Gift We Never Expected. Prepared and piloted by The Woodlands United Methodist Church in Houston, this joyful program explores some of God’s unexpected qualities, presented over the four weeks of Advent, plus […]

When I arrived as your pastor some six plus years ago, the church had just completed a “Star Search” visioning process. You, the members and friends of this church, identified as the top priority “Reaching out to our wider community.” The most tangible example of our implementing this vision has been our local work camps […]

Dear Gentle People, It’s hard to believe that my time with you is over. It has been a privilege to grow together in faith with each of you. People have graciously invited me into their homes and into their hearts. I have enjoyed our Sunday worship together as we picked over different topics allowing them […]

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. It if is serving, let him serve; it if is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, […]

“The creation of the world was like the life-quickening inhale; the Sabbath is the exhale. Thus, in a beginning, all creation moves with the rhythm of the inhale and the exhale. Without the Sabbath exhale, the life-giving inhale is impossible.” ~ from Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller […]

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so […]

In my column last month, I promised to share my sabbatical plans with you, and am delighted to do so and let you in on vacation plans as well! I count you and the whole congregation as dear friends in Christ, and so it is the spirit of such caring companionship that I convey to […]

You may have already heard that I have asked for, and been granted to take, a sabbatical leave of 9½ weeks (July 25 – September 30) following 3 weeks of vacation (July 4-24).  However, as it has been many, many years since one of your pastors has taken a sabbatical, some background information may be […]

I have 3 favors to ask of you! 1. Would you ASK God if there is someone He would like you to connect with. 2. Would you PRAY for this person and ask God if you should SHARE with them about upcoming events (Palm Sunday, Easter Party, and Easter; or events you know they are […]

As I write this during the last week of January, I have just watched a story on Good Morning America. It seems that a mom, a die-hard Seattle Seahawks fan since 1976, was surprised by her son, Mike Harris, with 3 Superbowl tickets less than a week before the big game. Her reaction is shock, […]