Israel Pilgrimage 2012
I’m in Israel! And I hope you’ll follow along with this trip. Read about it on Facebook, follow me @expatminister or check out real-time tweets from Christie & I by searching for #israhale on Twitter, and read daily reflections over at http://perritteumc.wordpress.com
Christmas Traffic (Advent poetry)
I came across this poem today in getting ready for Sunday. I appreciate the juxtaposition offered here, as might many of you space geeks that find yourself in faith communities preparing for Christmas. Three, two, one, liftoff Signals Mission Control. And off they go To the dark parts of the planets In their pressurised spacesuits, … Read more
“My kingdom isn’t from here.”
Mosaic experiential service sermon 3 July 2011 John 18:33-38 Perritte Memorial UMC | Nacogdoches, TX Sharing with you all tonight about what it means to be Christian & America is something I approach with fear + trembling. There’s a lot of posturing & shouting, many accusations are thrown around when we enter this ground, so … Read more
#Unco11
We’re on our way to New York for a week. We’ll do some touristy things, not having been to the Big Apple before, but the reason we’re going is for the 2011 Unconference. #unco11 (as it’s known on Twitter) is a gathering of about 70 adults to build IRL community & learn from one another. … Read more
Adaptive Challenge?
During discussions about the future of the United Methodist Church, including the Call to Action and the Global Leadership Summit, there’s been much discussion of the “adaptive challenge” facing us. But official presentations go on to say that we know exactly how to meet that adaptive challenge. So here’s an alternative perspective of poetry, not … Read more
Wordplay: Bible in 90 – Day 75
As we arrive in John’s Gospel account, again the lectionary and our reading plans cross paths: the story of Nicodemus’ visit to Jesus in chapter 3 is a reading for this Sunday. Nicodemus seems to have the same problem we do: what is Jesus talking about? The Greek word anothen carries a double meaning: “from … Read more
Fall From Heaven: Bible in 90 – Day 74
What do we have here? A conversation with Jesus about Satan and the mission of the church? Interesting… The seventy-two returned joyously, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit themselves to us in your name.” Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Look, I have given you authority to crush snakes and scorpions … Read more
Saving Faith: Bible in 90 – Day 73
What is faith? This is a question, asked outright or left implied, with which I am confronted on a daily basis. Many things which my students encounter might go by the name “faith,” but are actually not. This passage jumped out at me, for it too asks the same question: what is faith? Jesus turned … Read more
Devouring Widows: Bible in 90 – Day 72
Here’s three episodes which are often not read together, but chopped apart (even in the lectionary). Let’s try reading them sequentially… As [Jesus] taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have the best seats in the … Read more
Travel Light – Bible in 90: Day 71
Maybe it’s just because we’re out on retreat, but this passage really resonates with me: He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in … Read more




