Intersections

  Continuing our series this month on “Making Change” and where our stewardship and financial health coexist, we will be talking about how STRESS IS BAD. This again is a no-brainer, like our other topics in this series - Less Is More, Giving is Good, and Tomorrow Matters.  This morning, we will be talking about debt. I'm sure there are few things many people want their pastor to talk about more. Maybe if I had a series on sex, that would bring less interest, but here we are, talking about the taboo of debt.  You know, I haven’t met anyone who’s said, “I just got a new credit card, and now that I’ve maxed it out, my marriage has gotten so much better.” Or, “My marriage has gotten so good because I have a huge mortgage. Now that interest rates have gone up, it’s made date nights more thrilling!”; or even “Every night, I thank God for my debt. I used to be debt free but now I’m over my head and it’s amazing!”  As Christians though, we love to give. We want to help peopl...

We are getting into this new series - Making Change - at a time when people are thinking about   not only our church budget, but looking ahead to the next year of our personal budgets. But you know, this series may be the easiest or the hardest to impact your life! You might say… yeah Pastor Dan - I’ve got this down… and then start zoning out and wondering what’s for lunch or your fantasy football team or something. Hopefully I’ll keep it engaging for ya’ll too. But on the other end, I hope that this series of Making Change will hit you so that it inspires you to take the next step in your financial journey.   Now, these lessons seem simple on their surface - Less is More, Stress Is Bad, Giving is Good, and Tomorrow Matters - but taking what we will be discussing and implementing it is where the message may get jumbled.  We start this morning with the message of Less is More. Now - as much of a paradox as this seems, it’s been a proverb that has been around for centur...

  What is truth? That is Pilate’s next sentence after the reading today. Pilate wasn’t the first to ask it, and we’ve been asking ever since. The essence of truth is such a vague question that it wields a complete spectrum of answers. Is the Bible true? Is Jesus true? How do we know? I know these are pretty fundamental questions of faith, but sometimes we need to start at the beginning to build that foundation on which the rest of our beliefs rely. This reading is only four verses, but there’s so much here to unpack, so let’s go.  Today is the Reign of Christ Sunday. It is the last Sunday of the year before Advent. For a bit of history, Pope Pius XI created the feast day in 1925. He did it to curb the smoking kindling that was starting to burn through Europe. This year is the same time in the United States that Calvin Coolidge is president; the middle of the so-called “Roaring Twenties” was happening, the split right between the Prohibition years, when alcohol was illegal. Mar...

  A LIFE THAT MATTERS      In thinking about All Saints Day on November 1st, we remember those who have come before us, so it may be time to begin a bit of reflection. What were the joys over the last 12 months, where were we unsure? Our church has been through a lot, namely a change in many parts of the leadership, even me. A year ago, I was just praying for a church to be open to my service, that I could use my strengths to the benefit of the Lord, however that looked. I have learned many things in especially the last four months.       Looking ahead, the church is in a great position. We have had a fantastic year, reaching out to more people than ever in new and wonderful ways. And that innovation needs to continue on, because as much as we don’t like the ideas that change is happening, the church of yesterday may not be the church tomorrow needs.       This month’s theme is about STEWARDSHIP. Stewards, in the ancient s...