Is Jonah actually personally responsible for a storm at sea that threatens the lives of everyone on the boat? Maybe? Is this how it works--that one person's behavior has that much effect on others?
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for September 13, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday. We do again plan to gather for worship in the parking lot this week, weather permitting.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
You ever try to get as far away as possible from something you really ought to do, rather than going and doing it? Jonah (from the Old Testament) does the same thing. And starting this Sunday and for the four following we'll join him on his journey.
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for September 6, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday. We do again plan to gather for worship in the parking lot this week, weather permitting.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
You ever see a little tree growing in a rain gutter on a house? How is the Kingdom of God--God at work in the world--like that?
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for August 30, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday. We do again plan to gather for worship in the parking lot this week, weather permitting.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
We live our lives surrounded by all kinds of people, and it seems like that's the way God wants it, because God certainly made all kinds of people. Does that reflect life in the Kingdom of Heaven? Are we living it now?
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for August 23, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday. We do again plan to gather for worship in the parking lot this week, weather permitting.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
A jewelry merchant was always on the lookout for pearls. And he found the most amazing one ever--basically the "Hope Diamond" of pearls. He had to have it--so he did what he had to do to get it.
And Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is like that. What are we to make of that? How does that apply to how we live as followers of Jesus?
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for August 16, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday. We do again plan to gather for worship in the parking lot this week, weather permitting.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
Jesus told parables that at first seem simple and obvious. When we look a little deeper--or perhaps in a little more detail--we might find that we missed something that actually when we think about it is also pretty obvious.
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for August 9, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday. We do again plan to gather for worship in the parking lot this week, weather permitting.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
When preparing food, it's important to include all of the ingredients, since each contributes in its own key way to the finished delicacy. Jesus reminds us in a parable that in a similar way the Kingdom of God involves a key--but often taken for granted--ingredient.
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for August 2, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday. We do again plan to gather for worship in the parking lot this week!
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
We can all think of something that started small that grew into something big. Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God--and the way we are to live in the world--is like that.
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for July 26, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday. We do plan to gather for worship in the parking lot this week!
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
None of us gets to make the world be exactly how we'd like it to be. And it seems that God chooses not to either. Jesus tells a story in Matthew's Gospel that addresses that.
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for July 19, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday, and if we hope we will be able to worship together in the parking lot this week!
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
How would you react if someone showed up at your house uninvited and dug a hole through your roof to get in?
I'm guessing probably not the way Jesus reacted when it happened to him!
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for July 12, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday, and if we do decide to worship together in the parking lot we will let you know.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
Those of you who feel comfortable with it, please join together with me this Sunday at 10 AM in the parking lot at McKnight UMC—wearing masks and with appropriate social distancing. It will be different.
And of course, the Bible has plenty of stories about people making sense of new and different experiences. This Sunday we’ll look at Acts 10 where Simon Peter finds himself needing to do just that—and how God leads him to, and sustains him in the midst of it. We will find insight in this story for our own lives.
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for July 5, 2020 for further thoughts. If you choose not to attend in person, then tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
We don't always listen, because we are focused on any number of other, often urgent, things, but nature makes noises. And so do we--the older I get the more "grunts" and "groans" emerge spontaneously from me. The Scriptures also tell us of the cries and sounds God makes. Is it possible that all of those sounds from all of those sources are related?
Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for June 28, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
We are going through a time where even those times of celebrating together aren't able to cheer us, since we've not been able to actually be together to celebrate. Graduations happen, weddings happen, but it's not the same. We don't get to be together. We are not the first people in history to have those celebrations curtailed. The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah speaks of such times. And we can resonate; and like Jeremiah, have hope that it's not going to be this way forever. Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for June 21, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sunday.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
The Psalms are probably the rawest and most genuine parts of the Bible, people not holding back emotions expressed about God and to God--many directed right at God. This Sunday we'll look at Psalm 77, a "crying out" to God out of genuine anguish that turns into praise for God. Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for June 14, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Pentecost Sunday.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
This Sunday is Peace with Justice Sunday, and recent events in our nation certainly remind us that we haven't gotten either peace OR justice down. So we need the Scriptures to guide us to see "The Things That Make For Peace". Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for June 7, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Pentecost Sunday.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Church. Our birthday celebration will not be like we are used to it being--like our own birthdays since this time of physical distancing. But the Holy Spirit that was the gift on that birthday does not depend on us being together in the same place to draw us together. Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for May 31, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Pentecost Sunday.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
The author of the Gospel of John explains who Jesus is from the very beginning of the book, and explains at the end of the book why he's telling us all of this. We'll look at that this coming Sunday. Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for May 24, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sixth Sunday of Easter.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
Jesus and Peter have a conversation in John 21:15-19 that reminds us that our time spent with Jesus also involved listening to what he has to say to us--and responding to his invitation. Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for May 17, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Sixth Sunday of Easter.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
Ever return to a place you'd been to before, and it seems the same as it did, but not quite? It is, or you are, or something about it is different. This is the reality of the disciples gathered on the lakeshore breakfasting with the risen Jesus (John 21)--it is the same, but different. Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for May 10, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Fifth Sunday of Easter.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce
Have any of your patterns and practices changed? Are you doing things now in ways that you couldn’t imagine ever doing them? The story for this Sunday from John 21 has that—at the suggestion of Jesus. Insight for us? Follow this link to the Pastor’s Ponderings for May 3, 2020 for further thoughts. Tune in on Facebook Live or call in on WebEx for worship at 10 AM this Second Sunday of Easter.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Bruce