My dad called New Year’s Eve “Amateur Night.” When I was very young, I nodded along as if I understood. A bit older and realizing that I didn’t understand, I asked him what he meant.  He said “Amateur Night” is a fairly common term for a time when all those who seldom-to-never drink suddenly think…

I’d love for you and me to have coffee with this guy. He knew how to wait.  We click on to something else if a page doesn’t load fast enough. He was looking for the salvation of his people, says Luke 2, and his name was Simeon.  He recognized in the baby Jesus the fulfillment of…

On this Fifth Day of Christmas, it’s with my friend Maggie’s permission that I quote what she wrote literally 3 weeks ago today about her daughter: “While making Christmas cookies one of Bella’s hairs fell in the dough. Sorry to whoever gets that cookie, but it made me so thankful. She HAS hair this Christmas!” No Christmas…

With her permission, I quote my friend Ella telling about her almost-four-year-old son Sam — “This morning Sam asked me when would it be Christmas again. I asked him why, did he want more presents. He said no, he wanted everybody back at his house, because he missed them.” We smile. We nod. And we…

Community moves on after church fire Updated: Wednesday, 26 Dec 2012, 6:59 PM EST Published : Wednesday, 26 Dec 2012, 6:27 PM EST by Gina Glaros ROBINSON, Ill (WTHI) – It was Christmas news that no one wanted to get: a call that a church is on fire. Several fire departments arrived at First United…

As we move into The Twelve Days of Christmas comes this news — Copied from the WTHITV10.com site — “Fire engulfs church in Robinson, IL Updated: Tuesday, 25 Dec 2012, 11:41 PM EST Published : Tuesday, 25 Dec 2012, 8:40 PM EST by Michael Clouse Robinson, IL – News 10 is following a developing story…

Merry Christmas! And I’ll admit it: had a great time singing Happy Birthday to Jesus during Children’s Sermons on Christmas Eve.

“O come, all ye faithful,  joyful and triumphant! O come, ye, o come ye to Bethlehem!” Triumphant might be the last thing you feel on Christmas Eve. You might be even more tired than usual. People might have let you down. A less-than-fun surprise might have come your way recently. For many other reasons, you…

“O come, all ye faithful, joyful, and triumphant! O come ye, o come ye, to Bethlehem.” I don’t always feel joyful. Maybe you don’t either. Maybe there’s a reason. The adult Jesus said that he told us everything he did “for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.”…

“O Come, All Ye Faithful…to Bethlehem” How much faith do we really need? “You don’t need more faith,” said Jesus.  “There is no more or less in faith.”  (Luke 17:6, The Message version) Jesus thinks we’re invited.