I needed the day off, although I would have gotten by OK if the church were open. Thankfully, my congregation has for years closed the church office so the staff can have the Monday after Easter off. Easing around home…
About those C and E people
Perhaps we are the most vulnerable to channeling the Prodigal Son’s older brother right about now. As we anticipate sightings of Christmas and Easter worship attenders this Sunday, we may find ourselves thinking, “Well, there you are, all happy and…
My new favorite disciple of Jesus
My favorite disciple used to be Peter. I loved how much Jesus loved and trusted him even though Peter often missed the mark, speaking and acting without remembering what Jesus taught him. Peter stepped out of the boat and sank….
Please be kind when you invite us to church on Easter
This is the week when church members eagerly invite family, friends and neighbors who rarely, if ever, attend church to attend Easter services. What may seem like an invitation to hope could be perceived as something else, though. Many non-churchgoers…
This Christmas season, let’s not kill Jesus before he’s even born
As Christmas nears, one of my favorite things to do is look at Christmas lights. Nothing feels more festive than driving around that one neighborhood in town with the large historic homes decorated immaculately with twinkling lights and Christmas cheer….
If you’re glad women were the first Easter preachers, what are you doing about it now?
During Easter weekend this year, my social media feed was filled with posts about women preaching on the first Easter. The main theme of the posts was that if we want to be biblical, then women should be preaching the…
In Lviv, there is peace — until people start telling their stories
Lviv has many faces. It is a beautiful city with rich history, majestic architecture, elegant cafes and a joyful atmosphere. Ukrainians call it the capital of coffee, chocolate and street music. All this is here when Rachel and I walk…
Christian leaders in Africa and Britain, in their Easter messages, call for peace, forgiveness and love
In African countries including Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mali and South Africa, the weeks preceding Easter were marked by lamentation, sorrow, tears and blood as terror attacks and counter attacks by government forces — along with natural disasters — killed…
Easter is for those who have been to the cemetery
Next Sunday, people in the United States will wish Easter felt like it did three years ago. They will put on new shoes and wonder if they should have gotten a half size larger. They will consider going out for…