Lent is a reflective season in the church. Many give something up … coffee, sweets, etc. Someone recently said, we should instead give up our disbelief. The nagging little voice that tells us God does not love or forgive us. For the next couple of blogs, you can read a conversation between that voice and the Bible. You have never accomplished much of anything. "Those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 14:11) You will always be the lost sheep – out of sight, out

Lent is a reflective season in the church. Many give something up … coffee, sweets, etc. Someone recently said, we should instead give up our disbelief. The nagging little voice that tells us God does not love or forgive us. For the next couple of blogs, you can read a conversation between that voice and the Bible. You have never accomplished much of anything. "Those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 14:11) You will always be the lost sheep – out of sight, out

Lent is a reflective season in the church. Many give something up … coffee, sweets, etc. Someone recently said, we should instead give up our disbelief. The nagging little voice that tells us God does not love or forgive us. For the next couple of blogs, you can read a conversation between that voice and the Bible. You are a nobody. Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth." (Luke 5:13) You can never make a difference. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world." (Luk

During a recent conversation, several of us were talking about whether or not you can be a believer without being part of a worshipping community. Our short answer? “Yes and no.” Yes, because you can experience the splendor of creation, the innocence of an infant in another location, and be drawn to God. Yes, because an unexpected call or card can lead you to be grateful for friends and family. Yes, because God might be seen in the power of the ocean waves, or the strengt

Grace. Perhaps it was said at the table when you were a child. Maybe you still say it. But there is an aspect of the word “grace” that goes deeper. Simply put, grace is a gift. A gift you do not earn or purchase. A gift that cannot be taken from you. In my tradition, we consider the promise of life in God’s presence to be a gift. (Some folks call it salvation.) But it does not end with the gift. As a toddler we are taught two important words, “thank you.” As we reflect o