First, apologies for a late edition this week.  Friday was taken up with a pastoral care concern and marked by the abundant mercies of our God.  It was a long, but very good day.

Surely nearly every American would recognizes the faces on the collage to be the face of Jesus seen through the eyes of various artists, some who use canvas and some who use film, some who lived long ago and some who are our contemporaries.

Which of the images best speaks to your understanding of Jesus?  Yes, sixteen different images – there could have been a thousand. Continue reading →

It could have been any of a hundred funerals at which I have officiated. The eulogy was given by her son, and he did a good job of capturing her life. We laughed as he reminded us of those quirky habits and familiar expressions that had marked her life for as long as anyone could remember.  We wiped our eyes as he told a story of her amazing kindness, a story that reminded us of the kindness so many of us had received from her. Continue reading →

In case you don’t hear it sometime during the next 72 hours, just go here for a Julie Andrews rendition of the classic New Year’s Eve version of Robert Burns’ Auld Lang Syne. “Auld Lang Syne,”  we’re reminded every year, is old Scots for the “old long since.” The poem and the song are about the ambiguities of the past and of memories – should times and friends past be remembered or not? The answers seems to be that it is good to remember; we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

What about the old long since of 2014, then? Continue reading →

My favorite picture tool in the newer versions of Microsoft Power Point is the “remove background” tool.  I use it all the time.

This Sunday’s sermon at LPC will be our fourth banner sermon and we’ll be looking at the banner that depicts Mary and the Angel.  In addition to the banner, we’ll be considering several other depictions of the annunciation, including Caravagio’s and Rubens’. We’ll focus on Caravagio’s pensive Mary and, on a peripheral point, we’ll pause briefly at Rubens’ Gabriel (and wonder if “Wonderful Life’s” Clarence might be more biblically accurate). I love Ruben’s Gabriel, but am not so taken by his Mary.  Sorry, but Mary is going to be removed from the background. Thank you, Power Point. Continue reading →

If Time magazine decides to name a photo of the year, this from Burundi will be my nominee. The photo was taken a few months ago by Dr. Rachel McLaughlin, an ob/gyn and one of the members of the remarkable Kibuye Hope team (take a look; it is well worth 94 seconds) LPC is so privileged to support  specifically through the work of John and Jessica Cropsey, and in other ways, as well. Continue reading →