Religion

The word “foreigner” gets bandied around a lot in the news. Often, it’s a term reserved for people from another country, but it’s frequently used to describe anyone who looks or acts differently.   I want to share my own experience with a foreigner in Morgan...

There are times in life when we find ourselves called from seasons of relative peace and tranquility into what we know will be a time of unknown storm. Sometimes the storm chooses us. Sometimes we choose the storm.  As we navigate our way forward, we...

I’m extremely impressed with the youth in our community. I see immense potential in them and hope that they see that potential in themselves. I am grateful for all those who raise, teach, coach, mentor and bring out the best in them. I recently had...

“There is no peace on earth,” I said, “for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men!” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned these words in a poem written during the Civil War in 1863. The poem was later set...

Our days are filled with extreme concerns for our immigrant population, especially refugees seeking asylum in the United States. Levels of anxiety, uncertainty and fear seem to rise daily, not only for those who are directly affected but by those of us whose faith...

Growing up, I treated being grateful like a chore. You know the drill: “Remember to thank the host.”
 “Thank your brother for sharing that toy.”
 “Did you write a note for all the presents people gave you?” It always felt a lot like being told to clean...

With all the excitement over the election of the American Pope Leo XIV, it is appropriate to ask: what does a pope do? While a pope has several titles, the two most important would be Vicar of Christ and Successor of Peter. A vicar in...

Whenever I feel like life is difficult or my circumstances are less than desirable, I think of the story of the ancient Israelites, led by Moses out of Egypt into the wilderness as found in the Holy Bible.  They wandered from land to land for...

Are we making it all up? My three-year-old has an imaginary friend. They play, laugh and explore together. But that’s not what’s supposed to happen in our faith traditions—right? Too often, my childhood picture of Jesus behaved more like an imaginary friend than the risen...

In the summer of 1975, my friends and I built a treehouse in a large tree located in an open field near our homes. This was the best place to be a kid. All of the neighborhood hung out there. During that same summer, there...