James 5:13-20 Lynnie Sullivan is a big man, not just in his physical presence, but also in his personality, his opinions, his intellect, and his impact. Lynnie is the son of a small-town newspaper publisher, so he grew up in the newsroom and learned at an early age how to express his big opinions in … [Read more…]
James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a There are two sides, at least, to everything. The head and tail of a coin. East and west. North and south. Inside and outside. Before and after. First and last. Greatest and least. Indeed, when we have the insight to see both sides of an issue and we can acknowledge that our … [Read more…]
James 2:1-17 We are spending the month of September thinking about generosity with the book of James as our guide. Last week’s sermon was “Generous Hands,” and we talked about generosity as “openhandedness” and God’s call to us to be openhanded with others, the poor especially. This week I invite us to think about openheartedness, … [Read more…]
James 1:17-27 All this month in worship, and especially in sermons, we are focusing on generosity. That’s the new-fangled word for stewardship, which has gone out of fashion for some reason that I don’t fully understand. I think the idea here is that “stewardship”—especially the phrase “stewardship season”—connotes a function, an activity, something that we … [Read more…]
John 6:56-69 Take a moment to think about your faith journey. If you want to, take a pen or one of the pencils in the pew racks and sketch it out roughly on your bulletin or one of the inserts. It’s a common metaphor to think about our faith lives as a journey. Where have … [Read more…]
Old Testament Lesson: 1 Kings 19:4-8 Gospel Lesson: John 6:35-51 This past week, I attended Gun Sense University, the annual leadership training event of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. The event began with an opportunity for members to enjoy dinner and fellowship with their state chapters. While speaking with Jena, a Mom … [Read more…]
John 6: 16-35 Every one of you has it in you to be a mystic. Every one of you has the capacity for a direct experience of God. Not only that, but you have the capacity for the experience of God to be a common, everyday experience. What do you think the world would be … [Read more…]
Blessings from Butner PC September 5, 2017 “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:20b) Pastor’s Corner The people of Houston, Texas, and the surrounding area are just beginning the long road to recovery and the threat of a new, even more powerful hurricane … [Read more…]
Blessings from Butner PC August 29, 2017 “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) Pastor’s Corner The pictures from Houston, Texas, and the surrounding area of the devastation following Hurricane Harvey are heart wrenching. The total … [Read more…]
Blessings from Butner PC August 22, 2017 “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. … [Read more…]