Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Joe Walker”
admincccckc Articles, Joe Walker
By Rev. Joe Walker, Minister of Congregational Care When I was in elementary school, then as now, everyone was both excited and somewhat anxious as the new academic year got underway. For me, the beginning of school coincided with the onset of my fall seasonal allergies. Colloquially we called it …
Lara Schopp Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker
It occurs to me that some of you reading this do not have a personal memory of September 11, 2001, and the events known as 9/11. You may not have been born yet or were too young to have memories of that fateful day. Suffice to say that the attacks on our soil were horrific and heartbreaking.
Leslie Tenjack Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker
Earlier this week one of my friends was scheduled to have major surgery to repair an injury from a serious tumble she’d taken over the weekend. The morning of the surgery the doctor came in and told her the insurance company had not finished approving the procedure so they would …
Lara Schopp Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker
My dear friend and former co-presenter Dr. Gloria Thomas Anderson and I recently enjoyed a conversation on “Loving Life Choices: Looking at Your Life and How You Want to Be Remembered.” The interview aired on Sun., May 17 and can be viewed below:
Lara Schopp Articles, Joe Walker
By Rev. Joe Walker, Minister of Congregational Care The Pope slapped a woman’s hand. Perhaps you remember the New Year’s Eve incident: As he was leaving a receiving line an overzealous pilgrim grabbed the Pontiff’s hand pulling him off-balance. Pope Francis reacted by slapping her hand and barking at her …
Lara Schopp Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker, The Well
By Rev. Joe Walker, Minister of Congregational Care I can distinctly remember that upon witnessing one particularly unusual historical event I uttered this incredibly foolish prediction, “We will never see anything like this again in our lifetime.” Oh my, the things you say when you’re 18 (or 63, for that …
Lara Schopp Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker
By Rev. Joe Walker, Minister of Congregational Care I re-learned an important lesson over the summer. As is almost always the case, I learned it more by happy accident than by design. The lesson, simply stated, is that we humans are naturally curious creatures. Recently I have had a lot of …
Lara Schopp Articles, Joe Walker
Rev. Joe Walker, Minister of Congregational Care “Ah, things slow down over the summer months, right?” Well, maybe a little, but… Our newly elected Deacons and Youth Elders and Deacons are being welcomed into their particular Circles of Care community assignments. They are receiving orientation on how we as a …
Lara Schopp Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker
By Rev. Joe Walker, Minister of Congregational Care Summer is all about doing things a little differently, isn’t it? Get out of your comfort zone, leave your Zip Code in the rearview mirror. Explore exotic locales, eat food you can’t identify, get bit by different kinds of mosquitos, sleep in a …
Lara Schopp Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker
By Joe Walker, Minister of Congregational Care Email ads almost never make my heart soar. But this one did. Late the other night I received an ad for t-shirts commemorating the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Apollo XI mission. The 50th anniversary of walking on the Moon?! Groovy! My whole …
Lara Schopp Articles, Joe Walker
Even in the gathering dusk the unadorned concrete slab on its native rock foundation was still warm from the summer sun. My grandmother, “Grams,” and I settled on the edge facing east; she with her feet on the roughhewn stone steps while I dangled my gangly legs over the side.
Lara Schopp Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker
Rev. Joe Walker, Minister of Congregational Care The automobile– it is quintessentially American, more so than apple pie. It appeals to both our personal and cultural love of “freedom.” It becomes an extension of our personality; frugal or flashy, safe or speedy. We can’t wait to start driving, counting the …
Leslie Tenjack Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker
You have probably held a door open for a stranger on countless occasions. Most of the time you received a polite “thank you” or an appreciative head nod. What about those times when your kindness was ignored or the person grumbled something under their breath? That felt a little awkward, didn’t …
Lara Schopp Articles, Children & Families, Congregational Care, Connect, Joe Walker, The Well
Recently, one of my favorite writers, Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña, published an op-ed in Time, “Why We Shouldn’t Shield Children From Darkness.” He related an experience where his daughter saw his wife cry. “I couldn’t help thinking,” he wrote, “a fraction of her innocence had been lost that day.
Lara Schopp Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker
The life and legacy of Rev. Billy Graham has been on my mind since his death. When anyone dies it is natural to pause and reflect on his or her life and what we learn from their triumphs and missteps. In Rev. Graham’s case, his ministry is so interwoven with history that it beckons us to look back on our collective journey during his 99 years.
