ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 28, 2026
We are at the end of Black History Month, and I am grieving the recent death of Rev. Jesse Jackson. Though some are quick to dismantle his entire life’s work because of an affair, I am not willing to dismiss everything. Don’t get me wrong, I was both disappointed to learn of the affair and felt he should step down from all of his activism work. However disappointed I might have been, I appreciated the way his ministry had continued the trajectory of Dr. King’s witness. What I mean about the ‘trajectory’ is that both Rev. Jackson and Dr. King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, were by the 1980s very vocal in their support of LGBTQ rights. In fact, they believed that had Dr. King not been assassinated, he would have been actively supportive. Of course, there were many who were (and continue to be) adamantly opposed. I remember hearing Coretta Scott King speak in the mid-90s, and because she spoke strongly as an ally, there were demonstrators from the Westboro Baptist Church (the church that does hateful demonstrations at funerals for LGBTQ people and military personnel). As I was standing in line to go inside and hear Coretta Scott King, and folks from Westboro were spewing all kinds of hate, the guy right behind me said, “I haven’t been a strong supporter of gay rights, but I sure don’t want to be associated with those idiots. It’s probably time for me to step up and be supportive.” 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ was and is Good News, and central to that Good News is the notion of inclusion, embodied in Jesus himself. In his three years of ministry, he couldn’t demonstrate every example of the ways we should be including those who would be excluded in human history, but his life launched his movement on a trajectory that is always stretching to the next thing. Of course, we need to be real and honest about our history - the church was the strongest voice in support of slavery and racist segregation. Christianity encouraged and gave its blessing to child brides, and still is doing so in some settings. The followers of Jesus were the preachers of Manifest Destiny, the idea that gave permission for the genocide of indigenous peoples. And it was Christianity that deemed those who dabbled in herbal remedies, such as echinacea and willow bark, to be witches. And of course, some of them were killed for their so-called sorcery. To be truly transparent, I have used both echinacea and willow bark, so do what you feel is necessary. And let’s not even get started on the church’s so-called Biblical defense of women as second-class humans. 

Do you understand why it’s important to read scripture as a signpost that points us toward greater inclusion, liberation, and compassion? There are things in one moment of time that are simply not apparent, yet in time, they will not only come to light but their injustice will become glaring. Too many people are looking for a religion that requires no thinking, only an unchanging checklist of dos and don’ts, based on a teacher’s specific words in a specific historical moment. Instead, I can look at the fullness of the Gospel and see in the teachings and actions of Jesus a pathway that is not limited by the historical moment and all of its biases. One thing we can celebrate is that, in each of the earlier mentioned exclusions, subjugations, and outright hatefulness, there were always followers of Jesus who offered an alternative and dissenting voice. Their very different vision was based on where the Living Christ and Holy Spirit were guiding them on a steady forward-thinking journey with Jesus.

Continue to nudge me, O Gracious God, toward a deeper understanding of the Gospel Jesus preached and lived. I’m not looking to be a first-century Christian, but a twenty-first-century follower of the Living Christ. May I gain more clarity about the trajectory of the Jesus story for this moment and the next. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 27, 2026
The workweek is coming to a conclusion, though as I say that, I know that more and more people are not Monday - Friday people, at least when it comes to work (or volunteer). In fact, some people might find the weekend to be more stressful and demanding because of family obligations or a commitment to a local nonprofit. The scriptures speak about Sabbath, and how we are to honor the Sabbath. In fact, the first example of the 10 Commandments, found in Exodus 20, offers the fourth Commandment as:

Remember the Sabbath day and treat it as holy. Six days you may work and do all your tasks, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. Do not do any work on it—not you, your sons or daughters, your male or female servants, your animals, or the immigrant who is living with you. Because the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them in six days, but rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (20:8-11).

Not only do we get the command, but an explanation of why. It might be argued that we have to do it because God did it, but I tend to think of it in terms of sharing in a ritual that both reminds and reinforces the greater story. There is also a leveling of the traditional hierarchy, as Sabbath is to extend to all living creatures, and among humans, it includes the foreigner who is living among us. As I read this far-reaching command, it appears to imply that everyone (and all creatures) is required to take Sabbath as a reflection of the God who also took Sabbath.

This Sunday, whether you consider it your Sabbath or not, we will ponder the scripture that includes the words “Be still before the Lord…” May we all, in a moment of stillness before the Lord, connect anew to the often overlooked part of the 10 Commandments—to practice Sabbath as a defiant act against a culture that wishes to narrowly define who is worthy of carrying the divine image. 

As I find a little rest in your presence, Holy God, I pray for an even greater appreciation of your image reflected in every breathing creature. It is not always easy, yet my defiance is a celebration of your breathtaking and limitless love. Thank you! Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 26, 2026
On Sunday, we will read together the words, “Be still before the Lord…” The Oxford Jewish Bible translates it as, “Rest in Hashem…” (Hashem literally means ‘the name,’ and it is the Jewish way of avoiding saying the sacred name of God). With that said, I’m intrigued by the preposition in this phrase — before or in. Whether we are being still or resting, they both convey proximity. And I don’t believe we need to go anywhere so that we are somehow physically in the presence of God. Since I believe God is already everywhere and thus already present to us, the preposition is about attitude or awareness. How often in life am I utterly oblivious to something extraordinary? I remember driving late into the night to a cabin. We arrived close to midnight, and thank goodness there were some outdoor lights, otherwise we would have struggled to find the front door. I was exhausted and slept in. The next morning, well after sunrise, I stepped into the living room where there were some big windows that overlooked a beautiful valley. It was breathtaking. For close to 10 hours, I slept in the dark, completely unaware of what was outside my window. My proximity to the beautiful valley didn’t change, but when the light came on, I was suddenly awestruck by what had been there all night. It might not be the best analogy, but I do believe we can go through life unmoved and unaware of God who patiently waits for us to see what is already revealed in the brilliance of divine glory. I only needed to wake up and take notice.

Thank you for your presence that appears unaffected by my awareness. Thank you, Sacred Hashem, for waiting for me to be still and rest and awaken to you. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 25, 2026
This coming Sunday, from our Grab Bag of Verses, we will be focusing on a passage that speaks of being still before the Lord. The Hebrew word we translate as ‘still’ is daw-man' (דָּמַם) which could be translated as silent or waiting; however, this is brought on because the person is astonished or left sort of dumbfounded by something. In this case, it is God. Interesting, in Psalm 83, we read:

  O God, do not keep silent;
  do not hold your peace or be still, O God!

The one praying does not wish for God to be silent (or be still) as the person feels as if the world is crushing him/her. I tend to believe that God is never silent or is still, and it makes me wonder if our lack of stillness leaves us unable to appreciate what God is doing. Or to say it another way—if we believe God has turned silent on us (ghosted us), it might be our unwillingness to be still and pay attention. It is often difficult to quiet ourselves when we are afraid or overwhelmed. We’d like to, but the anxiousness often leaves us feeling distracted and chaotic. The very time we need God, our temperament is going against us. Practice being still before God when life is dull and your anxious meter is registered near zero. Practicing when it’s easy helps us when life is more challenging, yet that’s the time we really need to know that God has not gone silent on us.

As I pause and try to wrap my head around the immeasurable and incomprehensible nature of your love, O Lord of All Life, I pray for awe that drives me to a place of stillness where I am able to encounter you on a level yet to be experienced. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 24, 2026
On Sunday, I based our first Lenten Grab Bag of Verses sermon on the words from Philippians 4:13, “I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength.” Those words from the translation known as the Common English Bible were put over and against translations like the New Revised Standard Version, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” and the New International Version, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Some might look at those three translations and say, “It’s some insignificant differences in semantics, nothing more.” That’s a fair conclusion, yet I personally find the differences in these translations and others like them to be fairly dramatic. In fact, I have been in a hospital room where a family member called upon the version of doing “all things” with the expectation that her prayers would heal her family member because God should give the faithful person the strength to make the prayers effective for healing. Though, sadly, when no healing came, there was more than disappointment, but deep questions around WHY: Did I fail? Did God fail? This can produce grief exacerbated by guilt and self-blame. But if you read the “I can endure all these things…” through the context of Paul’s long list of challenges, beatings, arrests, alongside the animosity of those who disagreed with him, there is great hope and strength found in those words. Even in a time of deep sorrow as we watch a loved one move toward the end of life, those words can inspire the conviction that I will be able to endure all this painful stuff through the power of the One who seeks to give me strength. It’s not going to erase the usual grief or despair, but suddenly there is life to be found on the other side of this loss, even if I cannot imagine it in the moment. I trust the One who seems to make a way when I can’t yet imagine a way. With that in mind, I have been using it as a sort of prayer: 

I trust you, O Powerful God, to help me endure all the stuff coming my way, for I believe there is great strength found in my relationship with you. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 23, 2026
Prayer for the Week from our friend Rev. Dr. Terry Ewing (Phillips Theological Seminary)
When words are not enough,
May you be in prayer.
When every door is closed,
May you be in prayer.
When the way is dark and you are alone,
May you be in prayer.
When the sounds you hear are harsh,
May you be in prayer.
When each step brings pain,
May you be in prayer.
When Life seems bleak, ready to snap,
May you be in prayer.
May you be in prayer.
May you be in prayer.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 22, 2026
On Friday and Saturday, I attended the Men’s Retreat at Disciple Oaks Camp in Gonzales, Texas. The theme was Christian Friends - Wanted, Needed, Valued. We heard some powerful keynotes and testimonies. During one in particular, I kept on thinking about our focus passage for today, the First Sunday of Lent, “I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). I believe we can endure the challenges that come our way much more easily with a trusted friend as compared to doing it alone. In 1991, only 3% of adults in the U.S. said they had no friends. Thirty-five years later, that number jumps to 12%. If you look at the statistics by gender, 15% of men would currently say they do not have a single close friend. In Proverbs 18:24, we read how “there are friends who are more loyal than family.” Of course, those kinds of friends don’t just happen. We make a friend by being a friend, and not by viewing others transactionally. At some point, life is going to be hard. That might be a year from now or fifteen years from now, but whenever that challenge comes your way, God will seek to give you the strength to endure. But God’s enduring power is often manifest in that friend who already knows you, including your weaknesses and that one over-the-top embarrassing blunder. Church is not the only place where such friends can be found, but it can be one place assuming we as individuals are willing to do the work of friendship, which includes self-giving love.

Wherever I can be a friend, Holy God, I pray for the skills to be the best friend possible. You created us to live deeply connected to one another; such connections do not happen overnight and will not occur without some genuine vulnerability and risk. Guide me, Lord God. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 21, 2026
I was the kid who absolutely bombed spelling bees or any memorization game. Even those matching card games left me on the losing end every time. To this day, that part of my brain does not work well. On the other hand, if you tell me a story, I can retell the basic storyline months later. A neurologist told me that my brain is wired for stories, explaining how a matching game and storytelling are two entirely different parts of the brain. 

Yet even though it does not come easily to me, I am trying to put some verses of scripture to memory. Our Lenten Theme this year is: A Grab Bag of Verses - Having a Good Word Close at Hand. Whether it be crisis or a moment of joy, grief or fear, there is something about having a phrase or sentence we can draw upon that provides hope, peace, encouragement, or connection. In Deuteronomy 6:6-9, a portion of scripture often referred to as the Shema, we read the following,

“Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

At a time when a high percentage of people were illiterate and average folks didn’t have access to books (scrolls), memorization was important. Today, because more and more information is immediately accessible (I used to have 40 or more phone numbers memorized), we don’t memorize like we used to. I don’t want to sound like a fuddy-duddy, bemoaning the good old days, but I do believe there is something important about claiming portions of scripture that uplift and inspire us. We can even use them as a sort of prayer or mantra, especially in those moments when our prayers would be nothing but groans too deep for words (Romans 8:26).

Continue to speak your words of grace into my life, O Source of Strength and Inspiration. Instill within me a good word on which I can draw nourishment for my soul. Amen.
​

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 20, 2026
What does it mean to have a change of heart? What does it mean to experience a dramatic revelation that pretty much turns everything one previously believed on its head? When we begin to question some aspect of life, something we've been fully committed to in the past, we find it more difficult than we might have guessed. Often, many aspects of our lives are woven into whatever that previous belief might have been. Cherished relationships sometimes exist only because of that old ideology. Over the years, I have walked alongside people who no longer held certain beliefs, but for one reason or another, they continued to play the game. Change is hard! In fact, it can be extraordinarily painful to admit that something you were once quite passionate about is, in fact, nonsense and an absolute farce. Yet history is filled with people who have had a change of heart or something even more dramatic, yet they made the decision to align themselves fully with their new conviction. Some of the more angry people I have met in life are those who have continued to live the lie in the full knowledge that it is a lie. The anger is the cognitive dissonance irritating the inconsistency like a prickly wool sweater rubbing against a bad rash in your armpit (Was the illustration a bit too random? Not for me). The realization of a needed change and the actual first step toward that new thing might be further apart than a person wants, but if you show yourself some grace, then you will look at the cognitive dissonance as nothing more than good motivation to make the change.

Your prophets have frequently urged us to change, O Mighty God, yet our stubbornness can be quite embarrassing. Thank you for your grace, which continues to employ whatever means are necessary to guide our first step toward a more faithful and consistent life. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 19, 2026
Last night at our Ash Wednesday Service, Rev. Carolina Fuentes reminded us how we are made. All existence is sort of made up of the same stuff, from stars to rocks to the flowers we see and the human beings that we are. As Carolina pointed out, matter matters. We matter. Of course, when we speak of how “we matter,” it’s important that we emphasize the ‘we.’ It doesn’t matter the color of one’s skin, gender, how tall or short someone is, age, sexual orientation, or whether a person likes the 70s group ABBA. We are all the same matter, and for that reason, we all matter. I like the way the Message translates Psalm 139, “I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation!” Yes, what a creation! You and I and every other odd and quirky, and even not-so-kind person. We don’t have to appreciate what someone does, but at the end of the day, we are all the same matter, and matter matters.

I thank you, Most High God, as you made me and the rest of the creation with utmost value and beauty. Thank you! Amen.