Eric (my son) recently brought home a collection of Johnny Cash songs, an anthology simply called “Cash,” and I have listened to it a lot, mainly because he forgot to take it back with him to Fayetteville. Now you must know that I grew up on Johnny Cash, but not necessarily by choice. When I was a youth and a teenager, my dad had a very large console hi-fidelity stereo in our living room, and played music on it every morning while he was getting ready for work. Now the problem was Continue reading
Category Archives: Favorite Sermons
The Base boards Don’t COunt
I have a reputation around my house for not finishing what I start. It is an ill-deserved reputation, for I carry out a lot of projects faithfully to completion. The problem is, I do not finish some, and that is what people seem to remember. I have been accused of not finishing the kitchen floor project. Now, it is finished mind you. The base- boards in the laundry room are a separate, non-priority project. I did 3/4 of the project immediately, but it did take a short while (not more than a year) to do the last 1/4. Continue reading
Perfecting Imperfect Love
Weddings are done in all kinds of places and for all kinds of people, so it is truly special to be in this beautiful Sanctuary once again and to be here on this glorious occasion. Emily and Evan, 30 years ago the prettiest woman I had ever seen and I were married in this very spot , and Dianna and I could have never foreseen on that day that we would be here this day to give our own daughter in holy matrimony. Continue reading
Humble Pie and the Food Pyramid
I have on more than one occasion had to eat crow. That is, I have proclaimed or predicted or prophesied something very emphatically that I later had to retract or admit I was wrong about. Now granted, this rarely has happened to me, but it has on a few occasions. The real problem comes when you have to right something that you were wrong about and eat a course of humble pie and crow. Continue reading
Vertical Limit
Hebrews 12:18-25. I have always wanted to retire near the ocean, but when I vacation I like to go to the mountains. I really sense both majesty and serenity when I am privileged to go out to the Rockies or even the Ozarks. I even enjoy pictures of mountains and even enjoy movies that feature mountain vistas. One fairly recent movie I enjoyed was “Vertical Limit.” Continue reading
How Much Land Does a Man Need?
Have you heard of the reality TV show on a couple of years ago that featured five Amish young people who were removed from their homes and supplanted in the middle of Beverly Hills, the cosmopolitan bipolar opposite of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Continue reading
Climb Every Mountain
I have an announcement to make this morning: I am climbing Mount Everest. Well not really; you see we have a Mount Everest Fitness Club at the hospital and it involves stair climbing. You have to climb enough stairs to equal the height of Mount Everest, which is roughly 29,000 feet or almost six miles up. Now six miles doesn’t sound very far, but it is when it is straight up. Continue reading
Unholy wars
I have a minister friend from Memphis, Tennessee, where there are more Baptist than people. He told me the story of a Baptist Church of some reputation there. It seems that someone called the police to this Baptist Church because of a ruckus going on there. When the police arrived, they found a microphone cord noose around the pastor’s neck, and the deacons trying to hang the pastor. Continue reading
Boys Don’t Cry
Well, I am very thankful to be a part of a very progressive congregation and for lots of reasons. Because the truth is, whatever our limitations are as a very small church are insignificant compared to our upside, which is basically we always put people before rules, we have absolute positive regard for all God’s children, and we think our spirituality is way more important than the institutional church. Continue reading
The Son of Sam and The Son of Man
Let’s begin today with a bit of trivia, so let’s see how you do – what do George Bush, Jimmy Carter John Ashcroft, Dan Quayle have in common? They are all politicians. How about the next list: Supermodel Kim Alexis, Stephen Baldwin, Jane Fonda, Tom Hanks, Richard Kiel and Gary Busey? They are all actors, or in the entertainment business. Now that you know how this game works, you will guess the next list: Continue reading
Providence Cyber Church 