Statistics prove that, in various athletic events, the home team is more likely to win than the visiting team. In some ways that just doesn’t make any sense. A football field anywhere is basically the same. Basketball courts all have the same dimensions and the goal is the same height. Baseball fields differ some in […]
Identity So maybe you’re facing some major life changes as you sit down to read this. Maybe you are graduating from high school or college (yes, some folks that age read things from their church). Maybe your child is going off to school and you’re facing that Empty Nest you’ve heard so much about. Maybe […]
Peace and Justice Last week I had the privilege of attending the dedication of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice here in Montgomery. Thousands of people from all over the country and world were in town for the opening and three days of special activities. The dedication ceremony was celebratory yet solemn, less […]
The Welcoming Prayer I’ve recently been introduced to The Welcoming Prayer written by Thomas Keating. It goes like this: Welcome, welcome, welcome. I welcome everything that comes to me today because I know it’s for my healing. I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions. I let go of my desire for […]
What are the oddest things Jesus does? Each of us might have our own list of events that seem out of character or just curious. Jesus walking on the water has always felt pretty strange to me. Seems a little show-offy if that’s a word. Then he asks Peter to come on out and walk […]
Where is Thomas when Jesus first appears to the disciples? Why isn’t he with his people? The rest of the apostles are apparently gathered together. Only Judas and Thomas are missing. Judas is dead but where is Thomas? Why does Thomas need to touch the wounds of Jesus? None of the other apostles seem interested […]
So maybe you’ve heard that I’m a brand new grandfather. Two weeks ago our daughter gave birth to her first child and Mary Ward and I received our first grandchild. Starting about a month before that, very nearly every person I bumped into or met with commented about the upcoming birth with giddiness. “When is […]
Every year I am still surprised, as I read the various Easter accounts, that the news of the resurrection is not met with joy and happiness. At first there is only confusion and fear. The women go to the tomb to anoint the body and the tomb is empty. Their first reaction is not to […]
Every Celebrant of the Eucharist has just a little different way of leading the liturgy and our job, as participants, is to follow their lead. Some churches have only one priest and worshipers get really used to that person’s cadence and pace. With several priests on our staff, worshipers at St. John’s are more accustomed […]
Halftime Adjustments At halftime, during a Junior High School basketball game, Coach Blanton began a rant we had never seen from him before. We were playing poorly and he was furious with us. He banged his fist on the lockers, threw towels around, kicked at the wall. “You boys have got to run the […]