A Modest Proposal: The Minimum Standards in the Texas Conference
My friend Jeremy Smith, whose blog Hacking Christianity I’ve followed for years, posted yesterday about my conference’s Proposed Minimum Standards for Entering Candidates. As I have a little bit of knowledge about this, I thought I would offer some clarifications and challenges to what he has written. If you are new to my blog, welcome! … Continue reading
In Company
On the wall of my study hangs a poster-sized picture of my confirmation class. It’s a game for my church members to come in & try to find sixth-grade-Josh. Not a hard game, actually. I keep it even though I can’t remember everyone’s name—it was a big class, and not everyone was a regular at … Continue reading
Collect for Spy Wednesday
A prayer for today’s Community Holy Week service at which I am serving as the liturgist, based on the lectionary reading (John 13:21-32). It’s called Spy Wednesday to remember Judas conspiring to betray Jesus. Glorious God, in your Incarnate Word you name the truth of our existence, and through the cross, Christ Jesus emancipates the … Continue reading
That Christmas Feeling
I’m not sure I’m ready for Advent to be over, yet. That seems strange to say, or even feel. But I love Advent’s sense of expectation, of hope, of breathless desire. Moreover, I feel like I’m not ready for Christmas to be here. Not everything is ready at home, I haven’t made things right with … Continue reading
What to Get a Savior Who Already Has Everything?
There’s a lot of talk these days about Christ and Christmas, and what’s appropriate to say and do at this time of year, especially as a person of faith. With so many going to worship this evening to inaugurate the Christmas season, I thought perhaps a brief word on the subject might be appropriate. One … Continue reading
The Empty Church
My former District Chair David Perry, in his engaging and beautiful blog, brought this poem to mind for me again from one of my favorite poets, R S Thomas. Thomas’ poetry grapples with Welsh life & culture in the face of extinction, technology as eradicator of the human, and God as enigmatic and mysterious. I … Continue reading
Preschooler Theology, Part I
Sitting with Ben this morning, who isn’t feeling well. So we were reading out of the Psalms, 118:19-24, and talking about the events of Holy Week. In trying to explain about the imagery of the “gates of justice” and “God’s own gates,” I asked, “Sometimes we go to visit God–where do we go to visit … Continue reading
Dancing
Dance, then, wherever you may be; I am the Lord of the Dance, said he. And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be, and I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he. Happy People Dancing on Planet Earth (Astronomy Picture of the Day is a great website to visit, by the way.) or … Continue reading
The Expatriate Minister 