Four R’s from General Conference
I often say it, but I feel blessed to pastor a church that is compassionate, caring, and connected. In fact, that goes beyond the local church, because Galilee is a part of a broader denomination. We are a strong, world-wide connectional church. I feel it strengthens our local church to be connected to the larger […]
Hope Is Renewable
Like certain energy sources, hope is renewable. And hope is fuel for our souls. Early in the morning before I read the news, I open the Bible. I look on the words that God has written for me (and for all), finding them to be very different from most of what I read elsewhere. These […]
Family of Faith
Do you know your family history? Some people enjoy genealogy and doing a deep dive on their family tree. They’ll use websites like Ancestry.com to trace their lineage to a woman who arrived on the Mayflower or a couple who came to America via Ellis Island. Or maybe they’ll trace their ancestors to a particular […]
Journey at Sea
We know John Wesley as the chief founder of our Methodist tradition. He was a man who sought the invigoration of a sleepy Church of England establishment and ended up creating a new church as he traveled from England to America. But did you know that one of the most formative experiences in this man […]
What Is a Miracle?
What’s a miracle? I think there’s more than one way to look at that question. There’s more than one way to experience miracles. A dictionary definition of miracle is “a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.” […]
Upgrade to 2G
Thanksgiving is approaching and I’ve got an idea for you: Make sure you have a solid 2G connection. Now, I anticipate some objections: “2G? That’s so 2010.” “When my device says “4G,” it’s pretty slow.” “Does a 2G connection even work these days?” Hold the phone! I’m not talking about 2G as in ”second generation […]
Jesus Gets Us
When I answered the call to be a pastor, I imagined that I would spend a lot of time reaching people who had not yet experienced the love of God and maybe didn’t know much about Jesus. Well, surprise. Pastors spend a great deal of time in church, where most people know a thing or […]
Renewed in the Spirit
Hey Galilee—I wish you could see you as I see you. The blessing of being a pastor at this church is that I can see the whole field of Galilee’s activities from the main campus of Galilee, to our online community, to our ministries at Lansdowne Woods and Ashby Ponds. I see us reaching out to […]
If I Were An Action Hero….
When I was growing up, my favorite comic book hero was Superman. I dreamed a lot and thought that if were a superhero, I would want to be the Man of Steel. Why? For me it was because Superman could fly. I just think that would be the best superpower! Imagine not having to stand […]
A Hopeful Future
There have been headlines about the United Methodist Church recently. We’re splitting or we’re splintering. We’re hopelessly divided and we’re at each other’s throats, according to some media reports. Let me say, I have not lost hope in the future of our church. In fact, after this weekend’s Annual Conference, I am renewing my faith […]