"Stress. It was really stressful having to constantly compare prices and serving sizes. It took a lot longer than when I grocery shop with my mom." "I felt like people were watching us and judging us, because we we talking so much about the price of everything and the servings. I didn't like that." In …
Tag: Woodridge UMC
Connections. It’s all about connections.
There was a lot to like about last weekend's Confirmation retreat. No, not everything was peachy. You can't throw 16 people who aren't used to spending that much time together into a fairly small space for 26 hours and expect nothing but sunshine and roses 🙂 We played a lot, and we snacked a lot, …
‘Final Words’ chapter 5
"I thirst." My Thursday group really resonated with this chapter, with those simple words from Jesus. To them (and, largely, to me as well), the group found "I thirst" a good follow up to last week/chapter's "my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?". That is, for our group Jesus expressing thirst expressed his …
‘Final Words’ Chapter 4
"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" The most important words ever spoken. These words of Jesus from the cross are found in both the gospel of Mark and the gospel of Matthew; and in turn are originally from Psalm 22. And at least from a Christian's perspective of the atonement, they are the …
Lenten Book Study, ‘Final Words from the Cross’
Been way too long since I posted here. Of late, my blogging has been focused on stuff for my congregation, so I haven't cross-posted. But this week I changed my mind. Maybe my reflections from our Lenten book study on Adam Hamilton's Final Words from the Cross will interest a wider audience? I have no idea; guess …
Continue reading Lenten Book Study, ‘Final Words from the Cross’
Sleep Out (in solidarity) Saturday
"Everybody belongs," I said on Sunday. That phrase comes from a teaching by Father Richard Rohr, but also, once again, calls to mind MLK's brilliant, under-valued recapitulation of the gospel: "We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality... Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." Lots of ways to express that thought: We are …
Setting out on an SOS
Frequently of late I've been talking and writing how  striving to follow God in the Way of Jesus compels me to try to end hunger and poverty. And I will continue to do so. For instance, I'm with Bread for the World: Now that the shutdown is over, it is time to end sequestration. But with our …
Striving to have eyes that see
My September 29th sermon was, at heart, an attempt to humanize people who receive SNAP benefits - people who are all too often demonized, blamed for needing help, called names like "lazy" or "grifters." I was trying to demonstrate that the people who receive SNAP benefits are simply that: people. It just happens they are people who need …
Record-breaking OL not done yet
Last Sunday, my congregation, Woodridge United Methodist Church, partnered with Bread for the World in taking an Offering of Letters. Rosie's story (see above video) was a key component of our presentation and perhaps part of the reason the OLÂ produced 110 names on the petition to the President and 120 letters to our Senators. The …
Giving ’til it feels good
As the end of the year approaches, my congregation is, like many organizations, in the midst of our stewardship campaign. That campaign will determine the level of financial support for our ministries in 2013. There is much biblical support for giving to such a campaign. If you've been around most any church for most any …
All That I Can't Leave Unsaid 