Tag: Midwest District Superintendent Blog
Life Interferes with Plans
Today is my niece Brittany’s birthday. I still remember the day she arrived. My sister’s due date was the first week in June. So, she planned to have the baby shower during Memorial Day weekend, and afterward, she and her husband would get all the items that were not gifted at the party. Well, my… Continue Reading Life Interferes with Plans
Hope Springs Eternal
I have traveled to Israel twice in my life. My first journey was in 2011 as the wall around Jerusalem was being constructed. The second visit was in 2018, between the 2014 conflict and the one that is unfolding now. On the day that our tour group was in Bethlehem, I watched as Israeli planes… Continue Reading Hope Springs Eternal
Please Help Our Sisters and Brothers
The world is our community. Everyone is our neighbor. We live in a time when events are shared instantly. Our phones alert us that there is breaking news. Several channels are dedicated to stories, editorials, and documentaries 24/7. Social media platforms record our reactions from friends and strangers alike. I have seen many heart-rending reports… Continue Reading Please Help Our Sisters and Brothers
The First Time
On Sunday evening, ABC aired the 93rd Annual Academy Award ceremonies. This year’s presentation was different. Presenters, nominees and the audience maintained social distancing. Interviewers on the red carpet remained a safe distance from the celebrities who stopped by their microphones. Since the show has been without hosts since 2018, its producers have come up… Continue Reading The First Time
A Time to Heal
Last Thursday I learned that the trial phase of the case against Derek Chauvin was ending. Closing arguments were scheduled for Monday, with jury deliberation to follow. Over the weekend, I thought about the possible outcomes of the trial. I began to pray that justice would prevail. And I also had doubts. My perception was… Continue Reading A Time to Heal
The Flock is still in Need
One of my favorite passages to preach on after Easter is John 21. The opening verse tells us that Jesus appeared to His disciples by the Sea of Galilee. Once again they were fishing. As I reflect on this passage, I wonder why Peter had gone back to being a fisherman. Was he doing this… Continue Reading The Flock is still in Need
And Now for Something Completely Different
Growing up, I used to watch Monty Python, a British comedy group that was very popular. Their shows were aired on PBS and many of the sketches are classic comedy. In 1971, the comedy troupe created a movie called: And Now For Something Completely Different. I have used this phrase to introduce a couple of… Continue Reading And Now for Something Completely Different
Easter is Coming
We are about to relive the most anguishing moments in our Savior’s life. Maundy Thursday is still the night that I wish hadn’t occurred. The celebration of that particular Seder meal had to be bittersweet for Jesus and the disciples. This is the night that Hebrews celebrated each year, commemorating the promise that God made… Continue Reading Easter is Coming
Six Degrees
This is one of those theories that defy explanation. Like many people in the latter part of the 20th century, I played a game version of the idea known as Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. My friends and I would try to connect other actors to this very prolific star. I believe the game could… Continue Reading Six Degrees
More Puzzle Pieces
The first time I came to Grand Rapids was nearly twenty years ago. At the time I was on the faculty at Wayne State University Medical School. I was taking Hebrew so I could read some of the Old Testament verses in their original language. That’s when I heard about the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit… Continue Reading More Puzzle Pieces