Dave Buerstetta on striving to do justice and love others while walking humbly with God
"Some things are worth losing for." I was driving, listening to a podcast (my current preferred in-car entertainment) when I heard that statement. It was arresting. Almost literally. I was so struck by that thought that I had to pull over to process it for a moment. "Some things are worth losing for." Ta-Nehisi Coates, …
To paraphrase one of our great musician-philosophers, “Infinite war, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing!” But in the whole of human history, what has been more constant than war? Further, many of us were taught history, both of our country and of the world, through a series of wars. War seems to define us. …
Continue reading ‘Infinite War or Excelsior!?’ a sermon on Isaiah 36
I don't always get to preach two weeks in a row, so when I do I try to connect them, to make them into a mini-series at least. This time however, we are doing a series on the book of The Acts of the Apostles. So the sermon I'm posting here from May 13th (Mother's …
Continue reading Busting Taboos, part 2: Sermons on Acts 10 & 11
The sermon series on Acts of the Apostles (which I first wrote about here) continues. I preached on May 6th and May 13th on chapters 10 and 11, respectively. Many others have said this many times, but the story told in Acts 10 & 11 is the most significant story the church has. As I …
That racism exists in our world, in our country, in our community, in our systems - social, economic, and political - is irrefutable. But as a middle-aged, middle-income, able-bodied, cis-gendered, straight, white, Christian, male, layers of privilege afford me the possibility - the comfort - of not noticing that racism. Or, if I do notice …
I'm sure you don't need me to tell you this, but it was 45 years ago today (April 4) that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Yesterday, Fred Clark posted a long excerpt from Dr. King's April 3rd speech, often called the "I've been to the mountaintop" speech. It's fabulous oratory. Fred rightly pointed …
Continue reading Remembering that ‘shot rang out in the Memphis sky’
"There's nothing like having a daughter for turning you into a feminist," remarked a parishioner after a sermon I gave sometime ago. While I remember neither the specific statement I made nor exactly when this exchange occurred, I vividly remember thinking, "I really hope I was a feminist before we had a daughter. Maybe I …
Thursday was a really good day. After months and even years of delay, the U.S. House of Representatives FINALLY passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) - and with it the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA)! The General Board of Church & Society of The United Methodist Church reminded us what The United Methodist …
I first encountered the simple, terrific (and simply terrific) graphic below a few weeks ago via Slacktivist. I thought of it again the other day when this story came out. Here's the gist: One reason [Michele Bachmann's Iowa Campaign Chair, Tamara] Scott said that voters should oppose marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples is …
I shared this video on Facebook yesterday via Tony Jones, but thought it was just too good not to also post here. Yes, I follow God in the Way of Jesus. Yes, I am an ordained reverend working as a pastor in a church. And, yes, I am convinced marriage must be fully opened to …
All That I Can't Leave Unsaid 