We read Paul’s writings as theological texts instead of letters much of the time. The passage for today from Ephesians gives me the feeling that Paul was writing to remind folks of what they already knew about life together more than he was trying to lay down the law. And his words helped me remember…

I spent some time with the prophet Elijah this week, remembering we all need to be nurtured. __________________________ From time to time, it is good to remind ourselves that our Bible is not a single book, but more like an anthology, or collection of books wrapped in a single cover—sixty-six of them, in fact. Like…

The story this week was the Hebrew people complaining about life and God answering with breakfast. __________________________ Yesterday marked eleven years since my father died. There are ways in which it feels like yesterday and then ways in which it seems like so much life has gone by between then and now. In his honor—well,…

I preached this sermon at the end of a long week and the stories wound together. _____________________ A couple of weeks ago, Ginger was helping Lizzy!, our little blind Schnoodle, find her way outside from our kitchen. Lizzy! got down the stairs to the patio on her own, but then she had to turn either…

My sermon this week looked at a very familiar story—Jesus feeding over five thousand people with a sack lunch—and what new things I noticed in it. _________________________ One of the (many) books I have on my shelf is one called The Art of Noticing by a man named Rob Walker, and it is exactly what…

The passage that informed my sermon this week tells of Jesus sending his disciples out in pairs, rather than just following him. It was their first such venture, and it still speaks. ___________________ When I was a high school English teacher, I did an exercise with my ninth graders where they had to write instructions…

In Robert Frost’s poem “Death of the Hired Man,” one of the characters says, Home is the place where, when you have to go there, They have to take you in. That line came to mind as I read about Jesus’ return to Nazareth, his hometown, and left me wondering how we make room for…

I was back in the pulpit at Mount Carmel Congregational Church this past Sunday after my time away in and around Belfast. I am grateful I get to be in both places. Here is what I found at the crossroads. _________________________ Since I just got back from Ireland where I was the chef for two…

One of my favorite things to do, particularly now as spring is here, is to take the long way back to Guilford as I go home. I meander down Highway 22, through Northford and North Branford, winding through farms and houses, and I have also gotten into the habit of stopping at the Defrancesco Farm…

If you were looking for a sermon that includes a Hebrew prophet, seraphs, clams, and homemade pizza, you just found it. _________________________ I did something on Friday I had never done before: I went clamming. A man in the Guilford church named Charlie has talked to me about going for a while, but Friday around…