Back in December, I listened to the full oral arguments of a Supreme Court case for the first time. The case was Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization argued before the Court on December 1. The name of this case probably doesn’t sound familiar to you, but if you’ve seen or heard any bit of news this week, you definitely…

If you’ve ever read much in the Hebrew Bible, or what most Christians call the Old Testament and what our Jewish siblings call the Tanakh, you’ve probably noticed how God is often referred to as Lord, in small caps (unfortunately, this program doesn’t have small caps as an option so I’ll just make it red). Lord (in small…

This Sunday we’ll be collecting the annual America for Christ offering for the American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS). Please prayerfully consider what you can give to support the many wonderful programs and projects ABHMS funds. ABHMS publishes a number of resources that share the good news as well as the challenges of ministry, while…

Please enjoy our video A Rainbow of Promises featuring all the photos submitted during Lent with beautiful narration provided by Pastor Annette.  

Maundy Thursday wasn’t a tradition I grew up with. So when I first hear about it in graduate school, I misheard the name as ‘Monday’ Thursday. Latin scholar, I am not. The word maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum, which means  ‘command,’ It’s the first word of John 13:34, in which Jesus gives his followers a new commandment: A new…

With waving palms and shouts of “Hosanna!” we’ll enter Holy Week this year. For those of you who gave something up or took something on for Lent, you’re in the homestretch. As I said in the beginning, we’ve been doing Lent a little differently. Rather than focusing on the growing shadows, we’ve paid closer attention…

For the past several years, a pair of geese have settled into this lovely covered corner outside the pool at the gym. It’s really a great location. It’s within walking distance of several restaurants and close to shopping areas. It also has easy access to the expressway so on the rare night when you can find…

A copy of the painting above hangs on the wall of my guest room. On the nightstand is a book of poetry with the same picture on the cover. A few years ago, I came across this collection of poems by Mary Oliver called Blue Horses, and I was so struck by one particular line in the…

I always found it a bit odd how typical Lent observances run counter to what’s happening in the natural world. In Lent we often talk about the growing shadows as we get closer to the cross. Many churches keep their shutters or blinds closed to keep out the light. In the past, we’ve lowered coverings over…

Take a moment to watch this video from the 1960 classic Disney movie, Pollyanna  starring the indelible Hayley Mills as Pollyanna, a young girl sent to live with her tight-laced aunt after the death of her missionary parents. For those of you who may not have seen Mills’ Disney debut, I highly recommend checking it out. The town is…