Priorities
Flipping through the wonderful new handbook from United Methodist Communications, I was impressed again by how much ministry our church does with so many people in so many places. The handbook does a great job of putting into words and images the scope of ministry (and structure!) in which our denomination engages. (I’m even in … Read more
Chess, Dysfunction, and Misfits
Pity the child who has ambition Knows what he wants to do Knows that he’ll never fit the system Others expect him to Chess is perhaps one of my favorite musicals. A product of the 1980s, with a libretto by award-winner Tim Rice & music from Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus (two members of ABBA), … Read more
Asking the Right Questions (6 of them)
As a pastor, I often get asked the question: “So how do I know what God wants me to do?” And the answer I give is pretty much the standard issue one: pray + read your Bible + listen to the wisdom of the people God gave you + use your own common sense. But … Read more
What the Church can learn from Star Trek
I admit it…I’m a nerd. I’ve loved Star Trek since before the “cool” reboot of this summer. It’s in my blood: my father was hooked as a star-gazing teenager. I thoroughly enjoyed the summer movie, though, and I began thinking about what made it an excellent movie, and what promises it made for revitalizing the … Read more
Why "Expatriate Minister?"
It seems like an odd handle or moniker to choose for my blog, now 4ish years after I started…and it’s trickled out to other places on the web, notably Twitter. Yet I still think it’s worthwhile to consider myself an emigre clergyperson. Here’s why. As I graduated from Candler School of Theology (Emory U., Atlanta) … Read more
2009 Annual Conferences
Here are the dates for the 2009 Annual Conferences in the US, arranged by starting date: Red Bird Missionary, May 1-2, Big Creek, Ky. Detroit, May 14-17, Adrian, Mich. Kansas West, May 20-22, Salina, Kan. Texas, May 24-27, The Woodlands, Texas Oklahoma, May 25-28, Oklahoma City, Okla. Minnesota, May 27-29, Saint Cloud, Minn. Greater New … Read more
Texas Conference Constitutional Amendment Balloting
Here are the numbers given this morning at Annual Conference for constitutional amendments # + -1 398 7042 373 7163 166 9324 148 9445 164 9276 309 7857 175 9308 852 2389 812 25610 150 90811 220 87612 162 93413 149 94214 173 91915 613 45116 168 93717 827 25818 176 92319 888 18720 160 … Read more
How Shall We Pray?
It isn’t as if we have a choice. Prayer is like breathing, or communicating with our fellow human beings. We do it, whether we want to or not. I doubt it will even cease after we take our last breath. The question, then, is “How shall we pray?” What will our prayers be like? For … Read more
Second Sight
Not to put too fine a point on it, but great minds think alike… The most recent dispatch from Bishop Janice Riggle Huie (Houston area, United Methodist Church) is another exercise in perceiving the presence of God, and worth a read: Seeing the Presence of God May you see and feel in a profound way … Read more
Why Do I Wear A Collar?
I get really funny looks when I go places on campus, because I’m usually wearing my clerical collar. (I get really funny looks from the good Methodists in this part of Texas, too.) No, I’m not Roman Catholic…so why do I wear the collar? You might blame it on the fact that I most recently … Read more
