June 25, 2018 - Sunday was the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  It is hard to believe that 2018 is almost half done! June 21st was the official beginning of summer, but I think we have gotten a head start in the summer heat department. A couple of the regulars were out this morning, so our numbers were pretty slim. But we had a great Sunday school lesson and our time in worship was well spent.  I had been under the weather for most of the week and didn’t finish my sermon until late Saturday night. Not one to procrastinate, I was pretty uncomfortable with my late finish. 

June 12, 2018 - Sunday was the 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  It was overcast Sunday morning, and the talk was about the possibility of some rain.  Later Sunday afternoon we got almost 2 inches at the Smith house!  We really needed it—my yard and garden sure appreciated it.  I enjoyed not having to drag hoses around, watering various garden spots. 

May 28, 2018 - Sunday was Trinity Sunday.  There are six major festival days of the Christian Church. The big two are Easter and Christmas. The others are the Epiphany, the Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity Sunday. The only festival that doesn’t center on an event is Trinity Sunday, which centers on a doctrine of the church. The concept of the Trinity was put into words in the fourth century with the Nicene Creed. So we recited the Nicene Creed during the Church Service.

May 14, 2018 - Sunday was the Seventh Sunday of Easter. Next Sunday is the Day of Pentecost which tradition tells us is the birth of the Jesus Movement. Today is also Mother’s Day. This holiday is set aside to honor mothers and those who helped raise us. Mothers are instrumental in the family: We often see what happens to families where love has disappeared or never existed. Jesus certainly understood the import of mothers, our families, our friends, our marriages, our church, and our journey in faith.

April 30, 2018 - Sunday was the Fifth Sunday of Easter. The Epistle Lesson was 1 John 4: 7-21. The emphasis was on the need to care for one another. John says we are to love others as God loves us. And that God is love. English is such a weird language. In the Unabridged Random House Dictionary the one word love has 24 definitions! The third definition says, “A feeling of brotherhood and good will toward other people.” This is what John and Jesus were talking about. Unfortunately, this kind of compassion is lost on way to many people who call themselves Christians.