Traditionally, January 6 is called Epiphany, and it follows the 12 days of Christmas. The Day of Epiphany celebrates the wise men bringing gifts to the Christ child. In the liturgical calendar, January 7 through March 4, 2025 is the season after Epiphany. The word Epiphany comes from the Greek, “epiphaneia,” and means appearance, showing… Continue reading Like the wise men bringing three gifts, let me suggest you try these three things
Category: Pastor Paul’s Ponderings and Letters
Now that the mad rush is over…
Now that the mad rush is over,O center of hope, peace, joy, and love:Now that the needles are falling from the tree,We thank you that you are still God-with-us.As we face the year ahead,Help us to face the difficult parts of our lives;Help us to make the changes we must make;Bring us to new places… Continue reading Now that the mad rush is over…
What’s important and satisfying than getting all the answers?
Browning Ware, wrote about the grace of Christ’s coming. He wrote: “When I was younger, I thought there was an answer to every problem. And for a time, I knew all of the answers. “I‘m not as impressed with answers as I once was. Answers seem so pallid, sucked dry of blood and void of… Continue reading What’s important and satisfying than getting all the answers?
Welcome the mess.
In his Advent devotional – Low: An Honest Advent Devotional – John Pavlovitz greets us, regarding this time of year, with, “Welcome the mess.” As odd as that sounds, it really resonated with me. That is, we paint a Norman Rockwellian picture of how this season should be with people behaving perfectly. We expect people to… Continue reading Welcome the mess.
Taking the wrinkle out of the irony of Advent
Advent is a complex season of ironies – Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love are contrary to how the world operates. Advent is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus; yet it’s also a penitential season in which we examine and prepare ourselves for his promised return. During Advent we remember the first witnesses to… Continue reading Taking the wrinkle out of the irony of Advent
Broken people
When Wendy and I got married, money was tight. She had an art class in which part of the supply list was a huge set of oil pastel, every color of the rainbow and then some. Let me tell ya, they weren’t cheap. But, oh, they looked so good, just like the ones real art… Continue reading Broken people
There’s still room at the table for YOU!
The national holiday of Thanksgiving began as a celebration of the harvest and other blessings, according to history books. Thanksgiving, however, has since moved away from its Puritan roots and has become a day to symbolize intercultural peace, America’s opportunity for newcomers, and the sanctity of home and family. For generations, Thanksgiving Day, fondly referred to… Continue reading There’s still room at the table for YOU!
What would you take?
What do you take with you when you may never come back? When a hurricane approached one community, the evacuation order came. The locals had just a few hours to decide what to take with them as they fled for their lives. A couple of reporters from The Washington Post caught up with some of the evacuees… Continue reading What would you take?
Top 10 things to focus upon as we move onward, forward, into the future.
Fresh off our Transgender Day of Remembrance and post-election, here’s my top 10 things to focus upon as we move onward, forward, into the future. 10. Pray for wisdom for world, national, state, and local leadership. 9. Choose your words intentionally and use them to find places of unity and opportunities of peace. 8. Volunteer… Continue reading Top 10 things to focus upon as we move onward, forward, into the future.
Choosing love feels extra challenging…
My words today were written before the election. Election season is finally over. Hallelujah! The results will have lasting effects on issues deeply important to Americans. No matter who has won, we are called to be Christlike in word and deed. We are called to love others (even those across the political aisle), pray for… Continue reading Choosing love feels extra challenging…