This is an adapted version of the sermon I preached yesterday, the First Sunday of Advent. The gospel reading was Luke 21:25-36. I must confess: this sermon drew a lot from a sermon by Frederick Buechner entitled "Waiting," found in his book Secrets in the Dark: A Life in Sermons. I hope I haven't breached … Continue reading Waiting in the Darkness
I grew the moustache. I blogged a few times. I told anyone who asked about the #Movember movement. I told people the importance of men's health. I told them how so many men either ignore or refuse help when they need it. I told them how important it was for men to take care of … Continue reading My Movember Confession
Ever notice those signs on the road that say, "Speed Enforced by Aircraft"? The Pinewood Men have. Check it out. https://player.vimeo.com/video/300630031 Enforcement from Pete Barry on Vimeo. Featured image by Thatsabigif [CC BY 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
So the picture above is of me today, November 21. Look how luxuriant and thick that moustache is. Not bad for three weeks of growth, right? Ah, how I wish. You see, this year I cheated. The "official rules" of the Movember program is that you begin November clean-shaven, and grow the moustache in throughout … Continue reading Cheating in Movember
We are living in very polarizing times today. In the United States, it has become increasingly difficult to hold a conversation about a political topic with people who disagree with you. Friendships and family relationships have become frayed and painful. Family gatherings, such as Thanksgiving, have in some families become times of great anxiety and … Continue reading Praying Together About the Things We Can’t Talk About
This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached this morning. The gospel text was Mark 13:1-8. I also referred to the other readings as well, Daniel 12:1-3 and Hebrews 10:11-25. When? When? When, O Lord, are the buildings going to fall? When are the wars you predict to come? When will nation rise … Continue reading The Beginning of the Birth Pangs
This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached this morning. The gospel text was Mark 12:38-44, the story of the so-called "widow's mite." I am growing a moustache for the month of November in support of a movement called “Movember.” Movember started about fifteen years ago in Australia, and is now embraced worldwide. … Continue reading Learning from Women
