One of the best things about marriage is that you may inherit a fabulous second family. When I first met my husband’s entire family 30 years ago, I met all the nieces and nephews, including Jered, the oldest. He was a sweet and good kid but not a very motivated …

A hundred years ago, some folks decided to build a church. Several lots were considered and finally 61st and Ward was chosen. The cost of the first building was estimated at $50,000. But when the bids came back, it was actually going to cost $60,000. They met to decide what …

 O Little Town of Bethlehem, What Child is This, Angels we Have Heard on High, and Silent Night all vie for first place. What is your favorite carol? None makes my heart soar more than Joy to the World, especially when the trumpets and organ lets loose on Christmas Eve …

“Is this an uncomfortable place for you to be?” a sister asked her brother. It seemed like a strange question to ask given the setting. The wedding guests were joyously dancing on the dance floor. The cousins had just sung a duet, an old spiritual. The children were savoring a …

When the church staff convenes each Tuesday we engage in a discussion about a topic prompted by an article we’ve all read in advance.  Because we bring a variety of gifts ministry, the topics are wide ranging:  from music to technology, from theology to business management.  We muse about how …

I wonder if Mary and Joseph told anyone that their 12 year old, Jesus, had disappeared for three days while the family was attending a festival. Or if the father of the prodigal son shared with his rotary club friends that his son was out squandering his inheritance at the …

College students singing classic spirituals, concert pianists performing Bach and toddlers dancing to the sounds of a flute. These were our visions when we crafted the October concert series at the church. It would be a way to celebrate the classical music that graces our weekly 11:00 a.m. worship as …

For the last eight months, the church leadership has been listening to its members through a series of events: Centennial Conversations, First Impression Gatherings and a Feasibility Study. (See related article on results of that study on page 2.) But what I want to muse about is the theological or …

Seated in their “regular pew,” this couple had sandwiched in between them a woman whose face I did not recognize. After the service, we shook hands in the narthex and they introduced me to their good friend. As we exchanged pleasantries I could feel something “more” was unfolding but wasn’t …

On the evening of Sept. 10 I shared the Annual Report of the church at a lovely dinner gathering of church leaders. If you would like a peek, you can find it here. I’m tickled that we produce an annual report because it’s good to pause and look back and …

  Why Preach, Why Listen is the title of a book I read many years ago. But the title still haunts me. Why do I preach and why do you listen? It isn’t to be “preachy,” which has become a negative word that conjures up a haranguing of sorts, where …