I will always hold and treasure a pilgrimage to Greece that I led under the theme of “following the footsteps of St. Paul.” Our group’s first stop was Philippi. Philippi was named for the emperor Philip II, who was the father of Alexander the Great. As a result, this city was a “colony” of Rome … Read more
Take a moment, and travel with me as we follow St. Paul back to the city of Troas. You may never have heard of Troas. It was a thriving metropolis back in its day. It was so flourishing that none other than Julius Caesar once considered making Troas his western capital for the Roman empire. … Read more
I’m sure most of you know the Fourth of July is a day set aside when, as a nation, we celebrate and recognize the signing of the Declaration of Independence. For those schools that encouraged reading the opening of the Declaration, we learned that we had a right to pursue happiness. Many of us did … Read more
Much of my adult life has been spent thinking about human life and life with God. There is a difference between the two. But, every now and then, the life with God meets and interacts with our life. It is not weird or goofy. It is real. When reason for a moment stands over mystery … Read more
The Ascension of Jesus on May 13 is a great day. Notice I didn’t write the Ascension was a great day. It is important for us to keep the Ascension in the present tense. You know there are those who would rather not talk about the Ascension. It is for some, hard to explain. Let … Read more
I will never forget being in Jerusalem and entering the church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is considered the place where both the cross and the tomb of Jesus are located. The church has an incredible history in and of itself but the fact that it holds under its roof the place called Golgotha that … Read more
Following the crucifixion and the resurrection, the disciples did not retaliate. They did not fight fire with fire. Sure, at first there was despair. But it was replaced by the sure and certain hope in the resurrection. No question, they experienced fear behind locked doors. You know, the kind of fear that takes your breath … Read more
It may seem strange to write about “living” prayer. Obviously, I write this intentionally not to jar, or shock you, but to realize prayer can be living and there are times, it may seem dead. Dead prayer is like a wish. It not far removed from a superstition or throwing salt over your shoulder. Dead … Read more
Above is a picture of Christ Church, Frederica, Georgia. Originally, a mission of the Church of England, the Rev. Charles Wesley conducted the first services inside the walls of Fort Frederica in 1736. Later brother, John became the Rector. Of course, both Charles and John are known for their eventual formation of the Methodist Church, … Read more
During this time of the pandemic many people have experienced difficulty because they are isolated. And in the midst of being quarantined and locked-down, ironically, they experience too much “free” time on their hands. With this freedom comes a sense of separation from the norm, distance from friends and family, and ultimately feeling estranged from … Read more