Our nation is in crisis. In the first 219 days of this year, we’ve had 255 mass killings. In the wake of the 9/11 international terrorism crisis, we didn’t say, “Hey, there’s nothing we can do about this. We must resign ourselves to accept getting bombed.” No, we launched new preparedness. And as a result […]
Christian Buzzwords Series: Passion
Growing up as a student of drama, musicals, and show choir, I was often told to have “passion.” Directors of various kinds urged me to wear this passion on my sleeve, to connect with others by doing so, and to bear it all on the stage. In my memories of artistic expression, passion was tied […]
An Elaboration
I want to flesh out some of the things I said in my sermon on June 16th. But first… Wow. I am still overwhelmed by the generosity, warm embrace, happiness, excitement, relief, hope, optimism, prayers, gifts, and all else I have received from you. As someone said to me, “our hearts are yours,” so too […]
DON’T MISS CANDIDATE SUNDAY
Sometimes it feels like the trajectory of a lifetime can pivot in one short day. Surely such a day is upon Benjamin Geeding this Sunday. Such a day is also upon First Congregational Church, Darien as we consider calling Benjamin to be our Minister of Youth and Pastoral Care. (The worshippers at 8:30 am have […]
FAITHFUL FRIENDS ARE A STURDY SHELTER
You’ve heard me recall this more than once. As a conference closed in Chicago, Mother Theresa prepared to return to Calcutta. The new friends she had made spoke out with concern for the grand and fragile lady, pulling the dying out of the gutters in one of the poorest places on this earth. “How can you go back there?” they queried. “How can you survive the bleakness of facing into such poverty?”
A Comment on The Mass Murder at the New Zealand Mosque
Like you, I found the massacre of 50 innocent Muslim worshippers at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Center in Christchurch, New Zealand, horrifying. It is another example of racially motivated hatred that seems to have no boundaries. We stand in solidarity with the families of the victims. There are no words that are adequate for such losses.