The 2nd sermon: “Remember who you are”

In pondering the sermon for this Sunday, I discovered that I actually had two sermons.  This is the one that won’t get preached. Text: Matthew 5:13-16 In the movie Lion King, Simba is born into greatness.  A descendant of the king, he is told from a young age that he… Continue reading

It’s not just about the ropes

Yesterday I watched camp counselors guiding a group of senior high youth through an intermediate level ropes course challenge activity.  It was a pretty basic challenge–wearing a harness, climb the rope ladder and walk the elevated course of steps, platforms and wires, and then zipline your way back to the… Continue reading

Lessons from a 4-yr. old

I’ve been on the road a bit recently, so haven’t been in worship very consistently on Sundays.  This past Sunday, I got back to church just a few minutes before the end of the service.  As everybody was leaving the sanctuary, I stood in the narthex to greet people in… Continue reading

What is she teaching you?

At a Deaconess Board Retreat, this question was posed: “Think of one person in your context…what is that person teaching you?” The first person who came to mind for me was a 4 yr. old in my congregation.  When she’s there on a Sunday morning, this little girl sits with… Continue reading

Wednesday in Jamaica: Maroons and Blue Mountain coffee

Today’s word was ‘sacrifice,’ and our conversation over breakfast circulated again around Phil. 2.  My reflection is that acts of sacrifice are important…adopting kids, selling everything to move overseas, living on one income to spend more time volunteering, etc.  yes…perhaps we should do that more often as Christians.  But what… Continue reading

You’re Going Where? Part 2: to be or not to be…

During my senior year of high school I took a class called “Current World Issues.” We watched a lot of CNN. And the teacher tried to convince us to care about these news stories we researched and reported on each week. Unfortunately, in our teenage arrogance, we thought we knew… Continue reading

Big questions from young minds

I’ve been getting surprisingly challenging questions from kids recently.  Last week in preschool chapel a group of kids came in obviously eager to engage me in a conversation they had been having on their own.  The first kid comes up to me and says, “Sister Michelle, I have a difficult… Continue reading