A View from the Loft

It has often been said during this pandemic that God is everywhere.  The church is not a building.  We should not despair that we cannot meet as usual in our buildings.  All of this is true and valuable, but I think we are missing something essential and that is worship.  Speaking for myself I needContinue reading "Yes, God is Everywhere, But I Need Worship"

Over the past several weeks I have been poring over the contents of the new supplemental hymnal, All Creation Sings.  Faced with current events I find myself lingering on the headings of Justice and Healing hymns.  We hear many voices crying that we need to unify as a people and we hear calls to resistContinue reading "What Does the Lord Require of You?"

“If one member [of the body] suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.  Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” -1 Corinthians 12:26-27 The first epistle to the Corinthians tells us a truth that is repeated throughout scripture: we are allContinue reading "Being Broken"

On September 22, I participated in a joint webinar from Lutheran World Federation (LWF: The Global Lutheran Church) and the ELCA entitled “Ignore, Engage, or Resist? Global responses to religious nationalism”.   It was a valuable learning experience and I want to share some of the insights that were presented. Over the past decade or twoContinue reading "Engage"

Rev. Charles Tindley Rev. Dr. Charles Albert Tindley (1851-1933), often remembered as “The Father of American Gospel Music” and “The Prince of Preachers”, was the son of a slave and a free woman.  Because his mother was free, he was considered free, however he grew up among slaves.  Born in Berlin, Maryland, he moved toContinue reading "Honoring African American Hymnwriters"

Like so many Christians, I am filled with righteous and just anger over the photo Donald Trump took in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church.  The man ordered armed guards to gas innocent people just so he could pose there holding a book he has likely never read (and certainly doesn’t attempt to follow itsContinue reading "How Do We React to This?"

To live a life of faith, Christians must always prioritize what Jesus Christ taught.  So, let us examine what Jesus taught about how one should pray: “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others.Continue reading "How Should Christians Respond to “National Day of Prayer”?"

Fear.  I, like most of us, have seen immense anxiety lately that there is an “overreaction” and panic to the COVID-19 virus.  I have also seen and heard many people dismiss it as “nothing to worry about”.  Both reactions are false and inappropriate.  People make bad decisions and have anxiety because of fear.  In thisContinue reading "Fear of COVID-19"

A new year usually brings new resolutions with it.  Of course, new resolutions mean new opportunities to fail at those resolutions.  I’d be willing to bet that some of us have already failed at our resolutions even though we are not far into January.  A lot of people’s resolution are simple.  Something akin to IContinue reading "Am I Good Enough?"