Of Presents and Presence
Perhaps you have heard before this interplay between the words “Presents” and “Presence”. I think it is especially pertinent and potentially helpful to us during this frenzied time of the year we call Christmas. In this week’s blog, let’s look at these two words...
The Advent of Love
This week, as I try to prepare our congregation for the Advent of Jesus, I will be preaching on December 4th on the topic of love. Can I be real with you? Yes? Thanks! So here goes: Personally, I find it hard to talk about God’s love. And pastorally speaking, I...
Advent & Hope
In my last blog I tried to share with you the idea of Advent and our longing for Jesus, lyricized in Fernando Ortega’s song “Give me Jesus”. Ortega prayerfully asks to receive Jesus in the morning when he rises, to receive Jesus when he is alone, and to receive Jesus,...
Advent: Give me Jesus
Probably like a lot of preachers, on Sunday mornings I arrive at church very early. As one tradition puts it, I like to make sure I am “fessed up and forgiven” before I dare open the Word of God to preach and teach. But, more than that, I’m trying to “find” Jesus...