The Mystery of Water (and Ministry)

As some of you might have seen on my status updates on Facebook lately, I’ve had lots of experiences with water. Namely, my house, purchased only two months ago, has taken water in the basement twice; plus, I’ve had to shovel more snow and ice than I have in my whole...

Including Youth Leadership

I don’t know about you, but I’ve learned a lot by watching people do what they do. For example, I model a good deal of my approach to dealing with young people based on one high school teacher I had. What magical thing did he do? He asked me how I was doing. Not...

A joyful lesson

When I travel to different churches throughout the Iowa Conference UCC, during worship I usually bring greetings to that church on behalf of the conference. I almost always say that these visits are one of my favorite parts of my job. I get to visit a new church...

Forgetting the Former [Church] Things

Isaiah 43: 18-21 (NRSV) Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.19I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.20The wild animals will honour me, the...