Over the past week, I have had a number of church members reach out to me in various ways (emails, texts, phone calls) regarding what is happening in our country pertaining to immigration and the southern border. As you might expect, these members do not all share the same views on this topic. On Sunday, I made the comment that if this was a simple topic with an easy solution, it would have been solved a long time ago. It is not simple. Both Democratic Administrations (Carter, Clinton, Obama) and Republican Administrations......

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I came across this article by Doug Powe and Ann A. Michel earlier this month and I found it fascinating as we prepare to install our new leaders this coming Sunday. I think these trends are well worth sharing and taking time for reflection. 1. Changes in church attendance patterns Since 2001, worship attendance had been trending downward in many denominations, following a modest rebound in the 1990s. And declining worship attendance now plagues evangelical and Catholic churches in addition to the mainline. One contributing factor seems to be that “regular attenders”......

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I believe in certain truths that are universal for almost all human beings. First, we all want to be loved, appreciated, and respected. Second, we all search for meaning and purpose in our lives and we want our lives to matter and make a difference. Third, we all seek to form and sustain meaningful relationships with other people because we are social creatures by our very nature. Fourth, we all want to experience happiness, however, we understand that concept. Fifth, we all have to deal with pain, disappointment, and heartache no matter......

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