Because these wings are no longer wings to flyBut merely vans to beat the airThe air which is […]
Repentance
Time seems to move differently at various stages of one’s life. When you are young and eager to […]
We will soon be singing o felix culpa as we march into the sanctuary to celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the […]
Our world has no shortage of newsworthy headlines. From insane gas prices and soaring inflation to international conflicts […]
So, today is the day. Today we greet an old friend again. Every December he makes his predictable […]
Hollow night. Where the ear is dead, and electric eyes won’t sleep. The reverberations. Pound. Screech. Across the […]
A reflection on Ash Wednesday after the first Sunday in Lent may be a bit late to the […]
“Excuse me, I hate to do this. I was just jumped a couple days ago. The police won’t […]
When you come into church on a Sunday morning there exists a basic commonality of all those gathered […]
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, […]
Ocean washed in Words stumble around Dribbling down Shifting around This sandy ground Unbalanced the earth Because just […]
As we are beginning to see the signs of our economy opening up (well not here in CA, but in some others states), and as we catch glimpses of life beyond this crisis, our thoughts begin to settle again on the future. I, for one, have been thinking a lot about the lessons we will learn from COVID-19. What will be the takeaway for the Christian congregation that tried to navigate the waters of uncertainty and fear while striving to be faithful to their confession and mission?
One of the greatest privileges I am given as a pastor is to be able to baptize a brother or sister in Christ. To be the one called to speak those simple words and pour the water over their head is a profound joy for me. These days everyone has their own ideas of what a wedding ought to look like and what sort of things you need to do to make it special, it is rare to even have a wedding in the church these days and normally some romantic setting designed for the perfect photo sessions.
During the season of Advent, he always makes his appearance. We wait with bated breath as the readings of the church year turn our focus from the promised end of all things and the coming of the new heavens and new earth to the voice of John the Baptist. His voice, though, is not sweet and calming. It does not fit with the joyful theme of this time of year. There is no peace on earth and goodwill toward men. No, John is like a bull in a China shop. He shakes things up with an urgent call for repentance. “Repent,” he says, “for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
By Cindy Koch – Just a scroll through Pinterest, and that was all it took. I was simply […]
By Paul Koch – In ancient Roman mythology, Iustitia was the goddess of Justice. Introduced by Emperor Augustus, […]
By Joel A. Hess – Because these wings are no longer wings to fly But merely vans to […]
By Joel A. Hess –
You better watch out, you better not cry. Better not pout, I’m telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town! He sees you when you’re sleeping…. Wow, Santa sounds scary! Why would kids be excited about this guy? Of course, speaking as a parent, this song is brilliant. What better way to get a kid to behave better than tell her she will get rocks in her stocking if she doesn’t shape up?
By Bob Hiller –
We have entered the Christmas season full bore in the Hiller household. Lights are up on the house. The tree is decorated. Stockings are hung by the chimney with care. And apart from the 82 degree weather outside, we are primed for the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby danced with Danny…well, you get the idea. My kids love this time of year. Like many of you, one of their favorite parts of the season is the Christmas movies. Lately, they have become addicted to Home Alone. It’s getting to the point where my middle son says, “I don’t want you guys to leave me alone for Christmas—but if you do, I hope someone tries to rob me so I can do all that stuff to them!” Thieves, you’ve been warned.
By Paul Koch –
As many of you know, this past 4th of July my grandmother passed away. Once all the arraignments were made for the memorial service we all travelled out to Arizona to give thanks to God for the many blessings we had received through her life. We would tell stories and eat tacos just the way she would have wanted it. Now I had only been to her home in Arizona a few times, and those visits were never very long. No, the home I knew as grandma’s house was the home where my father grew up – their home in Hacienda Heights. I can still remember the smell of the place and how the wood floor creaked as you walked down the hall.