Posts by pwsadmin

A couple years ago I did a Children’s Sermon about the 10 Commandments. Like most CS’s, this was aimed at the adults as much as the children, and it went something like this: I told the kids that a lot of adults wanted the 10 Commandments on buildings, like the schools they attended. I asked…

The 13th Amendment was passed in 1865 to give enslaved people their freedom. This was done before the Confederacy was fully restored, so southern states had no input. It states that, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United…

First – I hope that my non-Christian friends understand that I often speak as a follower of Jesus and do not feel qualified to speak for, and often about, other religions. I try to be inclusive when it fits but will not pretend to understand all the nuances of other faith traditions. I have enough…

This is not about politics – this is about being Un-Christian. It is, though, about politicians; governors, in fact, who claim to be Christians but behave as if they aren’t. They do what many like them have done; they use Jesus for personal gain, pretending to be followers of the Prince of Peace while behaving…

When I came to Calvary in 1999, I was told by the search committee that the church was looking for two things in their new pastor: a great preacher and someone who could teach them how to do mission better. We all preach the best we can, so the first one was moot. The second…

Yesterday, a friend on Facebook posted that her 5th-grade daughter’s teacher said, “the most dangerous animal in the world is a 14-year-old girl”. The responses ranged from rage to being dumbfounded, and my response was that many adults use humor to try to connect with teenagers, and I would like to know the context. Like…

Over the years, Rodney King’s cry of despair has been used in comedy skits, speeches, and varied topics of conversation. His beating after a high-speed chase in 1991 became another tragic symbol of police brutality and racism. He was stopped and beaten by four LA police officers and the attempted murder was filmed by a…

Over the years I have done a lot of weddings; not as many as most people in the ministry for 38 years (I’m particular about who I marry), but a lot. I have to admit that my experiences have been varied, and I think most clergy would admit to that. Most clergy I have talked…

When I was in high school, I would occasionally buy a copy of “The National Enquirer”. For those who don’t know, the NE – which still exists, to my surprise – was known as a tabloid. It would have some real news but was known for outrageous headlines like “Fat Cat Owns 23 Old Ladies”…

Grace – the gift we receive that we haven’t earned and probably don’t deserve. The word itself comes from Gratia – Thanks – and is used in many different ways. We say grace at meals – say someone is graceful – have grace periods – all pointing to gratefulness and forgiveness. To treat others disrespectfully…