COPIED —- Twice this week, I have watched an elderly individual fade into the busy life in which we all live. One man just needed Panadol for his wife, but the shop assistant simply said it’s in ‘6’. But he struggled to navigate the supermarket, and as I watched him go in the wrong direction,…

My wife is gone, my girl is gone, my books are loaned, my clothes are worn, I gave away a car; and all that happened years ago. Mind & matter, love & space are frail as foam on beer. —Gary Snyder

What a long, strange week it’s been. Especially here. You and I’ve been hammered by Bonhoeffer — “Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God.” And as was said long before Bonhoeffer came along, “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. “God is not a…

“Who am I kidding? My favorite thing is working. “As to my retired friends: Not only do I enjoy their availability, but I learn a lot from their example. Liberated from their toils, these old pals are the unwitting canaries in the coal mine of aging, providing vital information to the rest of us about…

Tragically, the end result of much of Christianity indicates that title is our goal. Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s quote doesn’t stop there. But too often we do. And that hurts. Lots. Join me in praying for forgiveness. And let’s meet back here tomorrow.

Mary John Dye’s intro —- I have prayed fervently that our organized critics would focus on their opportunities instead of persistent criticism/undermining of the UMC. I will keep praying. Until that day, for the sake of people who unquestioningly believe whatever they say, I think speaking up against misrepresentation is important….and resourcing and helping each…

With gratitude to Scott Moon for pointing me to this from Kim Mitchell – – – If you begin to see certain articles that the United Methodist Church is no longer Wesleyan, I would ask you to follow the history coming out of our mother Church, the Methodist Church in Great Britain and into the…

Day Three with this line from our late friend Dietrich Bonhoeffer — “Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God.” Scotty Smith, he of several other stories of mine from my sojourn among the Presbyterian Church in America as they were thrumping a doctoral degree outa me, is the one…

Bishop Frank Beard has issued the following pastoral letter to the Illinois Great Rivers Conference regarding General Conference 2020/2024: Friends, we are not where we were! The dust has not settled, but it is clear and obvious that the United Methodist Church has changed. Some would argue that it has changed for the better, and…

“Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God.” The first handful of words in that stunning line from Dietrich Bonhoeffer brings up what in you? A handy checklist of things to Do and Don’t Do? Ray Hildebrand was a singer-songwriter-speaker-preacher-character who initially crossed my path in Colorado. I was there…