Sept. 18, 2022 Luke 16:1-13   I discovered Wengen, Switzerland, which I’m still not sure I’m pronouncing correctly – because even there we heard it pronounced in different ways – after visiting with Will and Usurla Meier a number of years back.  Will was in the hospital and to make his room more comfortable the […]

Sept. 11, 2022 Luke 15:1-10 Exodus 3:7-8   The picture on the cover of your bulletin is a quick shot that I took of the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany.  It wasn’t entirely clear to me if pictures were allowed, but I couldn’t resist at least one, and of course this seemed to be the […]

April 17, 2022 Luke 24:1-12   Words from Greg Sterling’s most recent message to the community of alumni from Yale Divinity School keep ringing in my ears.  Usually, these messages from the Dean’s office aren’t filled with good news.  And, this one was no exception; Thomas Troeger had passed away.  The news hit me harder […]

April 10, 2022 Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 Luke 19:28-40   Ever hear of “Nominalism” or people called “nominalists”?  I probably did once upon a time in seminary or college, but I’m not 100% sure.  Well, the term came up in my reading throughout the week and now I’m pretty sure I suffer from Nominalism from time […]

March 27, 2022 Psalm 32 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32   I have often read this familiar story we call the “Prodigal Son” and taken comfort in one particular line.  It’s the words spoken by the father to the older son toward the end of the passage: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is […]

March 13, 2022 Psalm 27 Luke 13:31-35   Brian Zhand is one of those reformed evangelical church leaders whose Twitter posts and other writings I enjoy reading.  Last week he said, “If I could say one thing to Putin it would be this: ‘We will all come before the judgement seat of Christ.’” Generally, I’m […]