ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS 
April 22, 2025
I am excited, anxious, and carrying a little uncertainty in regard to my Sabbatical that begins in two weeks. First, let me begin by saying how much I appreciate the opportunity to step away from the daily work of ministry. When I started negotiations with Cypress Creek Christian Church nearly 14 years ago, I insisted that my Letter of Call include a Sabbatical, and at the time, the Southwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was encouraging congregations to write it into the Letter of Call. According to our agreement, I can take one month after three years, two months after four years, or three months after six years. I have already taken one Sabbatical, though it was sort of choppy as it was postponed because of the flood and then the pandemic. Some people might wonder why ministers are offered Sabbaticals. In no way do I want to pretend that ministers work harder than other people. I’m sure I work harder than some and a whole lot less than others. Though in the last 18 months, I have been tracking my hours, and if full-time is 50 hours/week, I have probably earned 27 weeks of comp time in those 18 months. Could I work more efficiently? Yes! Could I say, “No” to more things? Yes! Do I feel resentful for the hours I work? No! I really like what I do. Don’t get me wrong. There are a few less than great days, but every job has some. And I probably have less than most. Cypress Creek Christian Church has taken very good care of me and my family over the years. My job does have flexibility when I need it, and unlike some of my ministry colleagues, CCCC does not micromanage me. That’s a gift! When I return at the end of July, I plan to return refreshed and full of energy — my hope is that I will bring new ideas from conversations I will have with fellow clergy; some new approaches for engaging visitors to our church; and of course, I will be returning with a new right knee. There will be some great guest preachers while I’m gone, and though I hope things run so smoothly that you don’t miss me, I sort of hope that it won’t have been so easy that you’re wondering whether or not I need to return. And though I have some folks writing a few of my Etchings, and I do plan to write some during my Sabbatical, I am guessing there will probably only be three or so each week. Again, thanks for this gift!!

For times of rest, renewal, and opportunities to connect more deeply with you, Merciful God, I am thankful. Provide blessings to the ministry of Cypress Creek Christian Church throughout the summer. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS 
April 21, 2025
Prayer for the Week: May the resurrection we proclaimed yesterday become the resurrection we personify today. Holy Power of Grace, every attempt to contain you and limit your impact upon this world is temporary at best. Every tomb has an expiration date, for nothing can separate us from your eternal love. There are those who seek to create a larger and more intimidating stone to seal the tombs of their own making, but your promise is undeterred. Your grace that raised Jesus from the dead finds such obstacles as unimpressive, and Easter reveals itself over and over again. Give us the faith to live as those who see Easter as something that stretches well beyond a 24-hour period. If the tomb could not contain the power of Easter, why should we think a date on a calendar could? Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS 
April 19, 2025
In Mark 6:31, we read: “Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.”

This invitation to his disciples came at a moment of death. The invitation came from Jesus, but was not in regard to his own death. It was the death of John the Baptist. In that time of crisis and grief, Jesus invited his disciples to slip away to a quiet place where they could find rest. Grief is exhausting, and though in the time immediately around a death, adrenaline can often keep a person moving, there is almost always a moment in which the grieving person just collapses. In such moments, the body and the spirit need us to slip away, not only as a break, but to seek true refreshment and healing. As we sit in the darkness of this day, reflecting on the death of Jesus, let us seek respite from the emotion of these past days, along with everything else burdening our lives. In this moment, God’s hope is entombed, but this gift promised to the world will invite us to rise tomorrow morning with new life and joy. In the meantime, get some needed rest!

Let my spirit find rest in you, O God, for you are gracious and kind. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS 
April 18, 2025
In a college art appreciation class, I saw Rembrandt’s etching, “The Three Crosses” for the first time (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/359757). I must admit that the class had not been particularly captivating before that moment. However, that particular image not only captured my attention but also left an indelible mark on my mind. I had encountered numerous paintings depicting the crucifixion, yet somehow, they failed to convey the profound suffering and anguish that it truly represents. In so many other paints, there tends to be a pleasant aura around the crucified Christ, and the colors give a sense of calm or even happiness. In Rembrandt’s etching, the darkness and contrasting light are challenging and somewhat intimidating. The first time I saw it, I found my breathing to be labored and my heart rate increasing. I know it is only one person’s opinion, but I don’t know of too many other pieces of art that have captured the crucifixion so powerfully. Other pieces of art might portray excellent techniques and methods, but I believe most of them fall short of embodying the events of Good Friday. I am not one to dwell on the suffering or bloodiness of this day, yet it is impossible to truly embrace resurrection if no one has died. We must remember that Easter does not celebrate a new and improved life. It is life on the other side of death. Period! 

Help me, O Creator God, to find the courage to praise you as the centurion did at the base of the cross—an unimaginable moment of suffering. Guide me to a place of hope and possibility, even when everything else indicates despair. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS 
April 17, 2025
There are very few things I enjoy as much as sitting down for dinner with friends. The food doesn’t necessarily need to be good, though that’s a nice bonus. At the end of the day, it’s about the people. I’ve also been around a table with some discord where food was served, but there were those who would have rather thrown it than eaten it. I am much more partial to dinner with friends where we are throwing around good jokes. 

Jesus shared a Passover meal with those he considered his friends, yet these same individuals would flee and deny their friendship when Jesus was most vulnerable. What kind of responsibility do you feel toward those who willingly sit down with you and enjoy a meal around a table? What would it feel like to you if one of those people later denied his/her friendship with you? What kind of responsibility do you feel toward those who share communion with you each week? What would it feel like to you if one of those people later denied his/her friendship with you? Perhaps the more pertinent question to ponder is how Jesus would react?

As we continue to move through this most holy week, Merciful and Creator God, I pray your presence be known to me anew. Give me the courage to stand resolute with you, the community of faith, and all those who are part of your beloved family—the human family. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS 
April 16, 2025
Last night, I ventured into our dimly lit chapel, where a few flickering candles guided me on a simple journey. It is not a big Labyrinth, and if you want to move quickly, you could probably finish it in two minutes. I walked it slowly, pausing at each turn with the question, “Where have I felt the nudge of the Spirit to make a slight turn in my own life, yet I consciously chose to continue upon the previous trajectory without even a slight nod in the direction of God’s encouragement? I know the Labyrinth is nothing more than some lines drawn on the floor, yet rituals and symbolism are powerful if we allow God to use them to shape us in ways that simply pondering cannot do. The Labyrinth will remain open until Friday evening after the concert--The Seven Last Words, offered in the Centrum at 7 p.m. 

If it is not the Labyrinth, what other practices or rituals might be unique to Lent and Holy Week? Some of you might have chosen to give something up. Others have chosen the opposite—choosing to add something positive or healthy to their life. From musicians to athletes to passionate fans, there are certain rituals people share because they communicate something on a deeper level than what might be assumed at first glance. I wear a bracelet for a gorilla I adopted a little over a year ago. I can track her online, even see pictures of her habitat east of Goma, Rwanda. My donation is helping keep Teta (that’s her name) safe, as she is considered critically endangered. The bracelet serves as a reminder, not only of Teta and other animals that are endangered, but also to pray for the health of our creation—water, air, and land. It’s a simple practice, but I’m one that appreciates those simple things that connect me to that which is much more intricate or cosmic, a little like what Jesus did with the parables. Something as simple as a seed becoming a means by which Jesus talked about the Kin(g)dom of Heaven.

Use whatever means necessary, O God of All, to cause me to pause and think more deeply, clearly, and with more of who I am. Following Jesus requires bringing more and more of myself to the task. Sometimes walking a guided path with an open mind can feel as if you are bringing to my attention something that was right there, but I had been missing it entirely. Thank you for those moments. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS 
April 15, 2025
Saturday was Passover for our Jewish siblings, and we need to remember that most of the main characters we find in the Gospels were Jewish. That includes Jesus, and I’m certain he had been celebrating Passover all of his life. This week, we will focus our attention on the last Passover Jesus celebrated with his followers before he was crucified. It would have been like any special holiday, as the crowd in Jerusalem would have been full of energy and anticipation. It was a time to remember, celebrate, and reenact the time in which God liberated a people who were enslaved in Egypt. As we look at it 2,000 years later, through the lens of Christian history, I believe it is important to see a correlation between Israel’s liberation from slavery and Jesus’ act of liberating love. If there is a direct correlation, how exactly are we continuing to reveal God’s liberating love for all those who are experiencing real situations of slavery or subjugation? 

What are you prepared to demonstrate in this moment, Lord God? How will your liberating love come alive in this Holy Week? For every person who feels the weight of someone else’s boot, we pray for the liberating love we know to come alive in such a way that it truly liberates those who are feeling stuck, pushed down, manipulated, or oppressed! We pray for our faith and your hope to unite in this good work! Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS 
April 14, 2025
Prayer for the Week (revised from worship): When excuses suddenly appear on our tongues, I implore you, Merciful God, to pause our breath and silence the fear-induced justifications before they are vocalized. When we are fully immersed in the joyful celebrations of our faith, we too often miss where the Gospel message is encouraging us to go. Help us to rise above any fears, so we can join you in sharing the gift of unconditional love with the world around us. When faced with challenges or threats, grant us the courage to reach out, not for another clever excuse, but for the grace-filled power of your Holy Spirit. For those who have been hurt, marginalized, and left feeling defeated, the last thing they need is another rationalization for why things are the way they are. Instead, they need your message, O God. They desperately need the Gospel that possesses the power to redeem and heal those situations that others have deemed hopeless. Call us once again to join you in this challenging, yet life-changing work. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS 
April 13, 2025
Today, in worship, we are going to focus on awakening joy in our lives. Among the many parables Jesus shared, I think about the three parables of lostness (the youth focused on one of the parables during Youth Sunday) found in Luke 15. There we read, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” A changed attitude brings joy!  Of course, joy is so much more than happiness. It is a deep and abiding relationship with God that is centered in love, purpose, and value. It begins with the Good News of a God who has chosen to walk with us no matter the circumstance. In each of the parables in Luke 15, there is joy in the one who finds what has been lost. There is purpose in their work! But not only do each of the parables point to how there was value worthy of a search, but upon being found, the one who was lost (sheep, coin, and son) discovers their inherent value. When we learn of God’s love always finding us, no matter how we might have wandered away, and then finding purpose as we share what we have learned, we discover value in ourselves and communicate that value to those who have been lost, felt forgotten, and too often treated as if they have no value. And according to the parable, the joy spreads to the very gates of heaven. As I learn that I am loved unconditionally, discover my purpose within that great gift of love, and find that it is not only joyous to embrace my immeasurable value in the eyes of God, but to make sure others know it as well, my joy finds new depth. 

O God, may the joy I know become the joy my neighbor knows. And may the joy in my neighbor bring renewed joy to my life. Amen.