Category: Pastor Paul’s Ponderings and Letters

Remembering our saints this Sunday

For all the saints, who from their labors rest… If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know it had help. None of us arrived where we are without the help of others. It might have been parents, siblings, grandparents, or other relatives who guided us on our journey. More than likely on… Continue reading Remembering our saints this Sunday

Thank you for choosing The Church of the Palms.

Grat-i-tude (grat’ – a – tud) n. thankfulness [L. gratus, pleasing, thankful]. Thank you for choosing The Church of the Palms. Your presence, participation, and sharing of your time, talent and treasure make this place so special. In a world where there are a lot of choices, thanks for choosing The Palms! There are so… Continue reading Thank you for choosing The Church of the Palms.

I’m still rejoicing from Sunday’s musical presentation

I usually put pen to paper on this communication piece on Monday mornings and that is the case this week. On this Monday, I must admit that I’m still rejoicing from our musical presentation. My gratitude goes out to Pastor Jim who organized and planned everything out. Sure, his solos are great, but what I… Continue reading I’m still rejoicing from Sunday’s musical presentation

5 simple guidelines for mental wellness

Back in 2021, The Church of the Palms became a W.I.S.E. congregation for mental health. W = Welcoming; I = Inclusive; S = Supportive; E = Engaging. Have you noticed that folks in this neck of the woods seem especially stressed lately? Uber-cranky, hyper-sensitive due to the heat, or maybe it’s the exhausting election cycle, or possibly it’s personal grief, or maybe it’s just life in… Continue reading 5 simple guidelines for mental wellness

First sign of civilization

Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Meade to talk about fishhooks, clay pots, or grinding stones. But no. Meade said that ancient culture’s first sign of civilization was a femur (thigh bone) that had been… Continue reading First sign of civilization

The Porcupine’s Dilemma

The North American common porcupine is a member of the rodent family and has around 30,000 quills attached to its body. Each quill can be driven into a would-be enemy. The wounds can fester; the more dangerous ones, affecting vital organs, can be fatal. As a general rule, porcupines have two methods for handling relationships:… Continue reading The Porcupine’s Dilemma

How is Jesus like a starfish?

Picture a starfish by the ocean. How many arms does it have? One, two, three, four, five. Five arms. Obvious, right? Anyone who has visited an aquarium and seen one knows this. But guess what? We’re wrong. “The answer,” writes Dino Grandoni in The Washington Post, “is stranger than anything most scientists expected. Simply put,… Continue reading How is Jesus like a starfish?

The stewardship of pain

After Frederick Buechner had shared an upsetting, heart-rending scene from his childhood, a person told him “You have had a fair amount of pain in your life, like everybody else. You have been a good steward of it.” “That phrase caught me absolutely off guard,” Buechner testified. And yet it also crystallized something for him. The… Continue reading The stewardship of pain

How many arms?

Picture a starfish by the ocean. How many arms does it have? One, two, three, four, five. Five arms. Obvious, right? Anyone who has visited an aquarium and seen one knows this. But guess what ? We’re wrong. “The answer,” writes Dino Grandoni in The Washington Post, “is stranger than anything most scientists expected. Simply… Continue reading How many arms?