The Power of One
Mark Schloneger
Only a boy named David, only a little sling, only a boy named David, but he could pray and sing. Only a boy named David, only a rippling brook, only a boy named David, but five little stones he took. And one little stone went in the sling, and the sling went round and round. […]
God of Second Chances
Richard A. Kauffman
What word, phrase, image or experience comes to mind when I say the word gospel? What does that word—gospel—conjure up for you? Gospel may well be the most used word in the Christian vocabulary. But it is usually left undefined. People use it assuming others know what is meant by the word.
Freely Bound
Mark Schloneger
March 8, 2020. That was the last Sunday that we had an in-person worship service. Of course, that was the only option that we had way back then. It seems so long ago, doesn’t it? My pre-pandemic memories are all in black and white. March 8, 2020 was the second Sunday of Lent. Like today, […]
A Boundary-Breaking God
Richard A. Kauffman
“What is patriotism but the love of the food you ate as a child?” so asked a 20th-century Chinese philosopher named Lin Yutang. If patriotism is love of the foods I ate as a child, then I’m very patriotic: shoo-fly pie, chocolate shakes, meatloaf, graham cracker pudding, egg and olive salad, chocolate chip cookies, potato […]
Life-Laying Love
Mark Schloneger
The third drawer in my dresser is full of tee-shirts. Top drawer underwear, second drawer socks, third drawer, tee-shirts, with a couple other drawers beneath those. I implemented this organizational system many years ago, and I think that’s why I’m so efficient. Anyway, my tee-shirts advertise to the world things about me: where I’ve been, […]
Seeing is Believing
Richard A. Kauffman
There are four post-resurrection stories in this, the last chapter of Luke. This morning’s text is the next-to-last one. It immediately follows the account of the two disciples walking on the Emmaus road who didn’t recognize Jesus until he broke bread, blessed it, and gave it to them. Three things interest me about this morning’s […]
Hearts, minds, and possession
Mark Schloneger
This dirt is mine. Well, it’s my wife Sarah’s too, and yes, it’s mostly the bank’s. But let’s not get distracted by the details. Under the law, this dirt is mine because I paid for the exclusive right to call it mine, and what that means is that no one else can call it theirs. […]
It matters where we gaze
Richard A. Kauffman
I was probably in elementary school when my family took a trip through the mountains of PA. My dad was driving and as he rounded a curve a rattle snake slithered across the road. My dad, being my dad, stopped the car alongside the road and with his camera followed the snake into the woods […]
Chosen
Mark Schloneger
When it comes to our pets, let’s be honest: we chose them — they didn’t choose us. No, we chose them, and when we did so, we didn’t know whether they’d be affectionate or hostile, loyal or rebellious, intelligent or . . . thick-headed. We didn’t know whether they’d respect our property or be a […]
Nourishing Witness
Mark Schloneger
Around the world, every day, women are walking for water. They go to the well, to the river, to the lake, with one hand by their side, with one hand holding the pot above. they walk, slowly, carefully, gracefully, swans stepping through tall green grass. Around the world, every day, women are walking for water. […]
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