Category: Uncategorized
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Of Advent & Weddings
Not long ago I attended a beautiful wedding. There were obvious hours of preparation and planning. No detail was overlooked. There was a, “I can’t wait” feeling in the air. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, the engaged couple had time for “marriage prep,” to reflect, ask questions and to explore all areas of their relationship, even the uncomfortable. Then, before they could they breathe, the waiting was done, and it was time to ask God into their lives through their spoken covenantal vows. They were changed — the two became one. There were tears, even from…
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When I am Weak
It was a men’s retreat. The man sharing his testimony of his life in recovery from alcohol spoke of hitting bottom and being broken. Though 15 years sober, his story was still real and raw for us sitting quietly in the room. In order for any change to take place, or for any healing to occur, his heart had to be softened. In fact, his heart was so hard that it had to be broken so that God could find a way in through all the cracks and crevasses. During his talk he quoted 2 Corinthians 12:10, “for when I…
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“And You Deserve My Service”
My wife Carol and I visited FDR’s library last week. It is well worth the drive to New York’s Hudson River Valley. During our travels, we stopped at a deli for lunch. A couple of regular customers came in behind us. The well-worn landscaping t-shirts identified their occupation. One of the workers looked to be around 70 years old. I came to that conclusion because he was wearing a Marine Vietnam Veteran’s cap. I thought that was hard work to be doing at 70. After lunch we left at the same time. I thanked the Marine for his service, and…
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For All the Saints
As All Saints Day approaches, I offer this prayer by Walter Brueggemann from his book: Prayers for a Privileged People. At Table… Flooded with Memories “Each time we come to your table, we sound the familiar memory, ‘prophets and apostles, saints and martyrs,’ all of us gather: prophets we know, who can muster righteous indignation, apostles we know, who do not mind being sent, even saints, we confess their ‘communion’ of the living and the dead. And then martyrs – and our throats tighten a little – old martyrs before lions, recent martyrs before death squads and covert government actions.…
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Stewards Not Owners: A Downton Abbey Lesson
I began last week’s reflection with a quote from Downton Abbey. The context of the quote is from Robert Crowley, the Earl of Grantham, responding to his mother Violet, the Dowager Countess, after she asks him if he cares about Downton, i.e. the estate. His answer was, quick, direct, and emotional: “Do I care? I have given my life to Downton. I was born here, and I hope to die here: I claim no career beyond the nurture of this house and the estate. It’s my third parent and my fourth child.” Because Downton Abbey is held in a trust,…
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The Why of Legacy Giving
During the church Zoom meeting, a longtime member of the church recounted her family history with the church. Her parents were married in the church, she was baptized and also married there, and her children were baptized from the same baptismal font. It reminded me of a scene from the TV series, “Downton Abbey.” It took me a few minutes hunting through the video, but I found the quote from Robert Crowley, the Earl of Grantham, responding to his mother Violet, the Dowager Countess, after she asks him if he cares about Downton Abbey. His answer was quick, direct, and…
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Giving More Than I Can Spare
“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc, is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them.” – C.…
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Falling into the Trap
Well it happened again. After the church meeting was over, I realized that I had fallen into the membership trap. The discussion on investments led to income, the income discussion led to stewardship and the Fall campaign, which led to needing more members – read pledge units. This is what I call the membership trap. The bait this time was the Covid conundrum. It seems most churches I know are experiencing significant – up to 50% of the laity staying at home on Sunday. Online viewership is also declining. So, there I was, chest deep in the membership trap. There…
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Unlocking the Doors of Poverty
Home ownership has been and continues to be the foundation for building multi-generational wealth. Over time, real estate generally keeps pace and even out-performs inflation. A lifetime of renting, without contributing to a growth fund to compensate for the equity lost due to not owning real estate, significantly reduces net worth. This means less to bequest to children and grandchildren. Another keystone of building net worth is adding life insurance, especially during the early earning years. Life insurance creates an estate for a young family should a premature death occur. Historically, for people of color with lower incomes, home ownership…
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Between the Heart and the Head
The distance between the heart and head is what some have called an eighteen-inch journey. In viewing the world, and interacting with people, some of us start with the head, others with their heart. The Myers Briggs folks would describe it as the difference between thinking and feeling. Isabel Briggs Myers identified 16 personality types based on the way people prefer to see and engage the world. I have heard it said that self-knowledge is the foundation to spiritual and personal growth. Using tools such as Meyers Briggs helps me to understand myself. And when these tools are used in…