Category Archives: Faith

Who is thankful for you?

Posted on November 24, 2017 by jim

If that’s how they talk to each other in public, I thought, I can’t imagine how they speak to one another at home. I was at the grocery a few days before Thanksgiving. Another middle age couple passed by, arguing … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celtic Christianity

Posted on November 6, 2017 by jim

I had a great conversation recently with John Philip Newell. John Philip is one of the world’s leading experts on Celtic Christianity. All Celtic Christian services I have attended have been similar: quietly contemplative, prayerfully pensive and filled with moving … Continue reading →

Posted in Celtic spirituality, culture, Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Resolutions

Posted on November 4, 2017 by jim

In recognition of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, and Martin Luther nailing his 95 thesis to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, my church recorded our hopes and wishes for the future of the congregation and … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Reformation

Posted on November 3, 2017 by jim

When I was in seminary, I learned my theology was a product of the Protestant Reformation. When Martin Luther wrote his 95 complaints against the Catholic Church he was opposing the selling of “indulgences.” Indulgences allowed people to pre-pay their … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The crisis in the U.S. church

Posted on October 24, 2017 by jim

“How can you be a Christian and support abortion?” “How can you be a Christian and support Trump?” Seemingly simple, the distance between the questions is massive, made wider by  Christology, pneumatology, eschatology and Biblical hermeneutic. Simple questions are seldom … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

i thank You God for most this amazing

Posted on October 6, 2017 by jim

by E.E. Cummings i thank You God for most this amazing day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes (i who … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Bapu

Posted on October 2, 2017 by jim

In a world growing more violent, filled with those who accept violence as the cost of living in the world, our thoughts should turn to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Better known as Mahatma. Great Soul. Born Oct. 2, 1869, he was … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Faith, in the news, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Finding God in the unexpected

Posted on September 17, 2017 by jim

From Upper Room Daily Reflections Finding God in the Unexpected I FIND GOD in the unexpected, the unexpected places where I least expect to find the presence of the Living God. It is in these unlikely places that the undeniable … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Prayer, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jesus is on the side of the oppressed

Posted on September 14, 2017 by jim

Jesus is with the people on the fringe of the culture who demand to be treated with respect and dignity. He is always on the side of the marginalized victims. Jesus is with refugees and minorities. Jesus supports the meek … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

God bless everyone

Posted on September 4, 2017 by jim
Posted in Faith, images | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Eclipse

Posted on August 30, 2017 by jim

Did you see this Facebook profile frame for the eclipse? This was a sponsored ad from the Institute for Creation Research. It was a paid ad from a religious organization, and most Facebook users had no idea. Who is ICR? … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Faith, in the news, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God breathes

Posted on August 1, 2017 by jim

The breath of God blows through all of creation and through each of us. The seeds of creation are in each of us. We are stardust Billion year old carbon We are golden In Hebrew, the word for Spirit, ruach, … Continue reading →

Posted in Celtic spirituality, Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

God moves

Posted on July 31, 2017 by jim

I heard them before I saw them. And I heard them for a long time. I was hitchhiking across rural roads in Missouri and hadn’t seen much beyond abject poverty for what felt like most of my life. The night … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

50

Posted on July 8, 2017 by jim

I turned 50 recently. The age where we realize there are more yesterdays than tomorrows. Half a century. All the coins in my pocket are younger than I. The most recent Supreme Court Justice is younger than I am. At … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, Faith, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment