I first read some version of this prayer more than ten years ago.  It was written by a friend and mentor of mine, Rev. Sharlande Sledge, who probably was the first woman I ever saw in a pulpit wearing a clerical robe.  As you will see, she also has a gift with words beyond compare.  With her permission I first used this prayer at a community Thanksgiving service many years ago.  The experience… Read More

Morality Tales Proverbs 17:22 Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones. Well, it begins.  Next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, which means we’re celebrating Thanksgiving this week, and I know as well as you do that the craziness of the holidays is upon us…and has, in actuality, already been here for quite some time. You may not know this, but… Read More

Thinking about some dear ones I love on this Transgender Day of Remembrance, and praying that the light of God’s all-encompassing love would flood over us, illuminating darkness, offering generous welcome, instilling peace. Blessed is God, in Whom no light is extinguished. A prayer: God full of mercy, bless the souls of all who are in our hearts on this Transgender Day of Remembrance. We call to mind today young and old,… Read More

Morality Tales Proverbs 16:18 Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. I’ve been so proud these last few weeks since I ran a 5K with my daughter Hannah and lived to tell about it.  Actually, I even lived to marry Ridgeway and Sarah on the very same day!  Many of you have had to endure my chatter about this achievement, as I’ve been working on being… Read More

Sometimes I write things down and they are not coherent. (That is, usually I write things down and they are not coherent.) I have many things swimming around in my head; I try hard to write them down in ways that make sense, but they don’t always fit together.  And then Bob Allen fixes them.  (Let the people say amen.) This is one reason (among many) that I deeply appreciate the work of… Read More

Hang on for the ride, Calvary! Transitions are always adventures and we’re beginning to see some of the blessings of our current staffing transition following Pastor Leah’s last Sunday with us. Beginning today, Calvary has added two part-time, interim staffers to our team.  They might look familiar to you: Myra Houser will be working a few hours each week as our Communications Coordinator, helping us streamline our social media and print communications… Read More

This is part 1 of a 4 part series on Baptists, recorded by video for an instructional curriculum on mainstream Protestants over at this cool new online learning site for churches, ChurchNext (I know, I’m as surprised as you are that we made the mainstream list).  So much thanks to friend, teacher, mentor, superstar Dr. Rosalie Beck, for her help remembering what I learned in class 25 years ago.  Any inadvertent misinformation here is all mine, not… Read More

This is part 2 of a 4 part series on Baptists, recorded by video for an instructional curriculum on mainstream Protestants over at this cool new online learning site for churches, ChurchNext (I know, I’m as surprised as you are that we made the mainstream list).  So much thanks to friend, teacher, mentor, superstar Dr. Rosalie Beck, for her help remembering what I learned in class 25 years ago.  Any inadvertent misinformation here is all mine, not… Read More

This is part 3 of a 4 part series on Baptists, recorded by video for an instructional curriculum on mainstream Protestants over at this cool new online learning site for churches, ChurchNext (I know, I’m as surprised as you are that we made the mainstream list).  So much thanks to friend, teacher, mentor, superstar Dr. Rosalie Beck, for her help remembering what I learned in class 25 years ago.  Any inadvertent misinformation here is all mine,… Read More

This is part 4 of a 4 part series on Baptists, recorded by video for an instructional curriculum on mainstream Protestants over at this cool new online learning site for churches, ChurchNext (I know, I’m as surprised as you are that we made the mainstream list). I want to talk for just a few minutes now about why I’m a Baptist. A few years ago an informal Twitter survey about words that… Read More