Life can be fragile. Life can also be random. We were reminded of that this week when a twin-engine Cessna fell out of the sky in Santee crashing into a neighborhood. Amazingly only the pilot and a UPS driver were killed. The UPS driver was Steve Krueger. By all accounts he enjoyed his job, he …
The Front Porch September 23, 2021
We often refer to the church as our “family of faith”. And with good reason. Many of us are deeply connected to one another. Often in ways we are not connected to our own families of origin. The families we grew up in don’t always understand us. And they don’t always appreciate our faith, which …
The Front Porch August 26, 2021
Our water heater went out this morning. Nothing like discovering the problem while taking an early morning ice cold shower. Turns out there was a leak on the inside of the water heater that kept the igniter from doing its job. That little igniter is what fires off the flame that heats up a 40-gallon …
The Front Porch August 12, 2021
I have been reminded lately of the gift of family. Following Pete Leitner’s sudden death on Monday morning, it warmed my heart to walk into their house a few hours later to find the living room filled with family surrounding Minnie with their love. There was her sister who lives just down the street along …
The Front Porch July 29, 2021
One of the things that struck me about the Grand Canyon is the way beautiful flowers can grow out of the harshest of conditions. Even the crack of a granite rock with seemingly no soil, very little moisture and next to no light can produce a magnificent blossom. Might what is true in nature be …
The Front Porch July 15, 2021
Religion has not always helped point people in the direction of God. In fact, sometimes it has had the opposite effect…pushing people away from God. Paul seemed to understand that when writing to the church at Rome. But he also suggested that having a bad experience with religion or religious people is no excuse for …
Installation Sunday July 11, 2021
The Front Porch June 17, 2021
I have heard these words dozens, maybe even hundreds, of times. I have used them almost as many. But it is possible that a phrase, or in this case a verse, can become too familiar. They can lose their power and meaning. I officiated at a celebration of life for Lee Higgins this week. This …