Have you heard about the new computer program that can write language in the style of a certain person? It’s called GPT, an acronym that stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer. A GPT can take simple prompts in natural human language as an input, and answer questions, write poems, translations, blog posts, or any other style… Continue reading Can a computer interpret scripture?
Category: Pastor Paul’s Ponderings and Letters
“You have to sing louder than the senior minister!”
Hymns are one of my favorite parts of worship. While I like trying to sing the melody, my true joy is hitting the bottom bullfrog bass notes. Music touches parts of my soul that words fail to reach. When I first began in ministry (which was last century!), I found myself in the role of… Continue reading “You have to sing louder than the senior minister!”
I have the same naïve thought every year…
Before each summer hits us, I have this naïve thought that maybe this year it won’t be so hot. Then record heat fries us and my brain back into reality. It has been a typical summer season – one with record heat and we are melting. Some of the good comments about the heat that… Continue reading I have the same naïve thought every year…
A deeply profound and revealing assignment!
How has your church blessed you this past month? It sounded like a simple question – how has the church blessed you? Yet, as person after person shared, I realized that the simple assignment was deeply profound and far more revealing than I first imagined. How has your church blessed you this past month? Everyone responded— those… Continue reading A deeply profound and revealing assignment!
We will not be “taking the summer off” of ministry
When Hitler began interfering with the churches and humiliating, torturing, and killing the Jews, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a loyal German himself, began to resist and protest. Being a minister, he refused to take part in the state churches which bowed to the Nazi’s demands. Some other ministers faced this tragic situation with quite a different logic.… Continue reading We will not be “taking the summer off” of ministry
The Progress Pride Flag
One of Howard Thurman’s most famous quotes is, “Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because the world needs people who have come alive.” As we emerge from the Covid cocoon, we are exploring how to come alive—our mission for 2023 is “What makes you come alive? Go and do it.” After… Continue reading The Progress Pride Flag
Quick fix for hypocrisy
Mahatma Gandhi reportedly said: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” He’s not alone. It’s not so much that Christians have an image problem. It’s far more likely that we have an integrity problem. The problem with many non-Christians isn’t that they don’t know any… Continue reading Quick fix for hypocrisy
“Isn’t it great that they found someone to love.”
Fifty-two years ago, when I was still a child, I met my first same-gender couple. It was 1971. The occasion was a family reunion to which the whole farming community was invited – we’re talking over a hundred folks. There was plenty of food, lots of cousins to play with, and a diverse group of… Continue reading “Isn’t it great that they found someone to love.”
Our Progressive Art Installation story—in pictures
The Progressive Art Installation began right after the Annual Meeting in January 2023. At that meeting, I challenged the congregation with this: “What makes you come alive? Go and do it.” Jeff Scruggs helped us envision a design with butterflies that would grow and change each week. It started with a stump – then a… Continue reading Our Progressive Art Installation story—in pictures
My seventh anniversary of being pastor at the Palms!
The beginning of June marks the seventh anniversary of being pastor at The Palms. So many memories come flooding up as I reflect upon this anniversary. I am amazed at the ministry God has done with us – it’s not you or me – but God’s Spirit working through us. Here’s a top 10 list… Continue reading My seventh anniversary of being pastor at the Palms!