Really Human…

The following were comments delivered as part of our  Christmas 1C service at the Calvary Baptist Church. That first week of Advent, when we began to talk about this movement called Advent Conspiracy seems to me like it was a million years ago.  It certainly was 4 papers, 3 final exams, 2 concerts, and a bout of the flu ago for me personally. So when Amy asked me to talk for a few minutes about my experience of “worshipping fully” in Advent,  well, I panicked.   I was pretty sure that there wasn't anything I had done that fit into a discussion about living a life of worshiping fully during the last month– I slept…
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A Holiday Book Review

I am always struggling to make sure that each day includes some time devoted to something that most people would call a "spiritual practice".  In the course of my life, I have tried yoga, transcendental meditation, walking meditation, journalling, praying the hours-- if there is an activity recommended by my old compatriots in the New Age movement, I have tried it to a greater or lesser degree of success and discipline. The one thing that works for me, however, no matter what the current state of my theology, is reading a daily devotion of some type.  The older I get, the more I see how the practices of my childhood carry forward…
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Thank God for mothers…

Despite my years as a devoted Germanophile, I have not yet taken the time to read any of the works of the theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  I knew of him from my studies of German history and culture, but he was for me just one of that far-too-short list of names of those known to work against the Nazi regime, a list that includes names like Sophie Scholl and the few members of the White Rose.  But in our Wednesday Night Words class, we have begun the study of his work, Life Together, and well, my historical-church-theological nerdiness is showing.  Last night we talked about the documentary we had seen the…
Read More

Really Human…

The following were comments delivered as part of our  Christmas 1C service at the Calvary Baptist Church. That first week of Advent, when we began to talk about this movement called Advent Conspiracy seems to me like it was a million years ago.  It certainly was 4 papers, 3 final exams, 2 concerts, and a bout of the flu ago for me personally. So when Amy asked me to talk for a few minutes about my experience of “worshipping fully” in Advent,  well, I panicked.   I was pretty sure that there wasn't anything I had done that fit into a discussion about living a life of worshiping fully during the last month– I slept…
Read More

A Holiday Book Review

I am always struggling to make sure that each day includes some time devoted to something that most people would call a "spiritual practice".  In the course of my life, I have tried yoga, transcendental meditation, walking meditation, journalling, praying the hours-- if there is an activity recommended by my old compatriots in the New Age movement, I have tried it to a greater or lesser degree of success and discipline. The one thing that works for me, however, no matter what the current state of my theology, is reading a daily devotion of some type.  The older I get, the more I see how the practices of my childhood carry forward…
Read More

Thank God for mothers…

Despite my years as a devoted Germanophile, I have not yet taken the time to read any of the works of the theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  I knew of him from my studies of German history and culture, but he was for me just one of that far-too-short list of names of those known to work against the Nazi regime, a list that includes names like Sophie Scholl and the few members of the White Rose.  But in our Wednesday Night Words class, we have begun the study of his work, Life Together, and well, my historical-church-theological nerdiness is showing.  Last night we talked about the documentary we had seen the…
Read More

Really Human…

The following were comments delivered as part of our  Christmas 1C service at the Calvary Baptist Church. That first week of Advent, when we began to talk about this movement called Advent Conspiracy seems to me like it was a million years ago.  It certainly was 4 papers, 3 final exams, 2 concerts, and a bout of the flu ago for me personally. So when Amy asked me to talk for a few minutes about my experience of “worshipping fully” in Advent,  well, I panicked.   I was pretty sure that there wasn't anything I had done that fit into a discussion about living a life of worshiping fully during the last month– I slept…
Read More

A Holiday Book Review

I am always struggling to make sure that each day includes some time devoted to something that most people would call a "spiritual practice".  In the course of my life, I have tried yoga, transcendental meditation, walking meditation, journalling, praying the hours-- if there is an activity recommended by my old compatriots in the New Age movement, I have tried it to a greater or lesser degree of success and discipline. The one thing that works for me, however, no matter what the current state of my theology, is reading a daily devotion of some type.  The older I get, the more I see how the practices of my childhood carry forward…
Read More

Thank God for mothers…

Despite my years as a devoted Germanophile, I have not yet taken the time to read any of the works of the theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  I knew of him from my studies of German history and culture, but he was for me just one of that far-too-short list of names of those known to work against the Nazi regime, a list that includes names like Sophie Scholl and the few members of the White Rose.  But in our Wednesday Night Words class, we have begun the study of his work, Life Together, and well, my historical-church-theological nerdiness is showing.  Last night we talked about the documentary we had seen the…
Read More