This week’s Gospel text shows us some strange bedfellows. The Pharisees, who are often depicted as enemies of Jesus – or at least antagonists – show up to warn Jesus about Herod Antipas’s murderous intent towards him. But of course, there were Pharisees and there were Pharisees. Just as today there are Christians and there are Christians.
To Stand In Power Read More »
Happy Birthday!Â
On the first Sunday of March back in 1835, our congregation officially began, dedicated as the “Second Wesleyan Chapel”. A church building was soon under construction, down on Mulberry Street. Â
Barely 23 years later, the congregation moved uptown to a brand-new place on Park Ave S. & 22nd St. – a soaring ediface, clothed in marble, with a 210-foot steeple, largely the gift of church trustee Daniel Drew. It was truly a glorious building, but lasted only 40 years.Â
Transfiguring the Church Read More »
“When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything behind and followed him.” – Luke 5:11…Friends, That is maybe the most frightening phrase in the Bible. Dietrich Bonhoeffer puts it like this in The Cost of Discipleship: “Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus… It is costly because it compels a person to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow where he is going.”
Taking Them Along Read More »
“When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything behind and followed him.” – Luke 5:11…Friends, That is maybe the most frightening phrase in the Bible. Dietrich Bonhoeffer puts it like this in The Cost of Discipleship: “Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus… It is costly because it compels a person to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow where he is going.”
“When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything behind and followed him.” – Luke 5:11…Friends, That is maybe the most frightening phrase in the Bible. Dietrich Bonhoeffer puts it like this in The Cost of Discipleship: “Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus… It is costly because it compels a person to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow where he is going.”
I don’t know about you, but some days lately, I feel pretty drained. It’s hard to deal with one more piece of news. It’s a challenge to summon the energy to respond to one more problem or situation.
In the Way of Jesus Read More »
Over the last several days, the power of words has been on full display. Proclamations, addresses, orders, organizational memos, statements, and lots and lots of emails, tweets, texts, and posts are swirling around us, each claiming to convey messages of import. So many words, so little time.
I don’t know about you, but some days lately, I feel pretty drained. It’s hard to deal with one more piece of news. It’s a challenge to summon the energy to respond to one more problem or situation.
The Opposite of Love Read More »
This week, as we move into the season of Epiphany, the season of the liturgical cycle where we learn more about Jesus and his life, we celebrate Baptism of Jesus Sunday.
Beloved and Becoming Read More »
Epiphany, marking the day when the Wise Ones arrive in Bethlehem to see the infant Jesus, has the larger meaning of ‘shining forth’ or ‘becoming clear’.
To Epiphany, and Beyond Read More »