#ThinkAheadThursday is here! This Sunday is Palm Sunday. This is one of my favorite Sundays of the year, as it ushers in the most significant week of the Christian calendar: Holy Week. Palm Sunday remembers Jesus entering Jerusalem triumphantly the week of his death. Later in the week, we recognize the last supper on Maundy … Continue reading Palm Sunday
In this week's Fireside Chat, I highlight and recommend three books that I have enjoyed and that have the power to shape us into better people. I read an excerpt from each. The three book recommendations: Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson The Boy, the Fox, the Mole and the Horse … Continue reading Fireside Chats: Drew’s Book Corner
I introduced this spiritual practice on Friday, simply listing some things I was grateful for. Today, I want to expand on this by providing a way to use gratitude as a spiritual practice. In a time of fear and anxiety, focusing on that for which we are grateful is a way to remember and re-focus … Continue reading Spiritual Practice: Gratitude
A sermon with the title of "End of the Age" may raise images of people with sandwich boards that say, "THE END IS NEAR!" Sorry if this disappoints, but that's not what I'm going for. Instead, the focus of Mark 13 is explaining that Jesus's crucifixion was age-changing. Jesus's death and resurrection was the greatest … Continue reading Bringing Sunday into Monday
Gratitude is a spiritual practice that is both needed and difficult right now. So, I just want to list some things I'm thankful for in the midst of anxious times. Join me in thinking of what you're grateful for. Fresh air: while we need to stay a safe distance from other people, I'm thankful for … Continue reading Happy Friday
#ThinkAheadThursday Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones. Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk again. Dem bones, dem bones gonna rise again. This song, which has been performed by our Children's Choir, is an old spiritual used to provide the hope of resurrection in dire situations, based on Ezekiel 37. While Ezekiel 37 is not … Continue reading Dem Bones
Time for a fireside chat. In uncertain times, I pray this devotional on Psalm 121 brings you comfort and confidence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebfhK8LlIA0&t=5s Psalm 121: I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be … Continue reading Fireside Chats
The Prayer of Examen is one of the Ignatian spiritual disciplines, meant to help us review a period of time (like reviewing your day at the end of it) and focus on God's presence during the period of time. So, this may look like a daily or weekly practice of replaying your day or week … Continue reading Spiritual Practice: Prayer of Examen
Spiritual practices, or spiritual disciplines, are individual or corporate actions that we take to grow closer to God. In a period of time characterized by social distancing, let's find ways to grow closer to God through spiritual practices that we might otherwise overlook or ignore during normal times. This is an invitation to practice these … Continue reading Spiritual Practices (Starting Tuesday)
This winter, we began a new feature on the church facebook page called "Bringing Sunday into Monday." This involves artfully displaying a quote from the Sunday sermon with the hope that readers will bring this message into Monday and beyond; that we would not leave the sermon message in Sunday but carry it with us … Continue reading Bringing Sunday into Monday
Pastor Drew's Desk 