Years ago I served as Youth Minister at a Korean Presbyterian Church. One of their traditions was to have an annual contest wherein the youth were challenged to memorize an entire chapter from the Bible with cash prizes for the best recitations. It was the Youth Minister’s job to choose the passage. Even though I had…

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples, “Truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (MT 18:2-4) Traditionally, this passage has been interpreted as extolling the childlike virtues…

As we come to the end of the Lenten season, we approach Easter with great anticipation. I am reflecting on how much has happened since Advent, when the nation was riveted by the events in Ferguson, Missouri, surrounding the death of Michael Brown. On the first Sunday in Advent I preached a sermon in which…

Three weeks ago I found myself again burning dried palm fronds in anticipation of Ash Wednesday. While there are many preparations that a minister may do alone, setting piles of dried leaves ablaze does not seem to be one of them. Each year I have had parishioners—and this year my own children—absolutely fascinated with reducing…

At the 7:00 o’clock service on Christmas Eve, worship took an unexpected turn when the children discovered that the Advent candles were missing and had to follow a series of clues to find them hidden around the sanctuary. I had tried to protect the candles by encasing them in cardboard wrapping paper tubes and then…

My daughter Faye is a lizard whisperer. For as long as I can remember, whenever we have gone camping, Faye has caught lizards. One year, she caught 12 lizards in five days (though technically one of those she caught three times in a row – that one wasn’t very bright). The first time that my…