In the midst of crisis, it is easy to fall prey to convenient arguments and compartmentalized thinking. Convenient arguments are ones that are simplistic and short term.  They are incapable of withstanding any scrutiny and are designed to make a quick point that supports one’s current opinion.  But they...

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRVoPlxrfMg&w=560&h=315]...

Prayer for June 1, 2020: Please pray with me. God of fire, burn within us.  Burn away the things and beliefs and identities that do not bring life, that keep us from you.  Burn away our desire to separate and divide.  Burn away the idols that we put in...

(I preached this sermon on Pentecost, May 31, 2020.  You can find the full worship service atwww.ststephenlc.org). Fire has three necessary ingredients – you need heat, fuel, and oxygen.  Take away any one of the three and a fire will either not start or it will be extinguished pretty...

Prayer for May 28, 2020: Please pray with me.  God who gives us our identity, open our eyes.  Open our eyes to see what you have created us for.  Open our eyes to see the Image of God in ourselves.  Open our eyes to see this in others too...

One of the more disturbing aspects of the response to the pandemic is the exposing of how divided we are as a nation.  The division has been there for a long time.  One could argue that the division has always existed.  As soon as the Revolutionary War ended, there...

Prayer for May 27, 2020: Please pray with me.  God of breath, you breath life into all creation.  It is through your breath that you bring peace.  You breathed life into the bodies in the valley of dry bones.  You breathed life into Adam.  You breathed onto your disciples...

“I can’t breathe.” That’s the words a man said loud enough to be caught on video in Minnesota. One story on the incident started this way – “A man exclaiming “I can’t breathe” as a Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground and put his knee on the...

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Keeping church buildings closed is not a Constitutional Infringement.  Not even close.  Here’s how I know. The Federal Government and the government of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (where our church is located and who’s jurisdiction we fall under) aren’t trying to stop worship.  In fact, many government officials have...