By Paul Koch - The gathering together of God’s people in one place for worship is one of the most beautifully complex and misunderstood events that regularly happens in any given week. I suppose it was somewhat different for ancient Israel, when they gathered around the Tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem. There they had … Continue reading Dividing Truth
By Tim Winterstein - [SPOILERS] Whenever films are based on true stories, there's always a little dramatic enhancement to the story. Sometimes it's to fill in missing details; sometimes it's in the form of actors and actresses (almost always) more attractive than the real people; sometimes it's simply to increase the action so people will … Continue reading Family Ties
By Dennis Matyas - News reached me last week of the closing of a church. This church was a small congregation in a small city that held their fellowship with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The news reached me because I was acquainted with it (in an oblique manner) and a few of its members. It … Continue reading On This Rock I Will Build My Church
By Tim Winterstein - “What is truth?” Pilate asked Jesus when Jesus said that those who are of the Truth listen to His voice (John 18:37-38). Intentionally or unintentionally, Hirokazu Kore-eda's The Third Murder ([Sandome no satsujin], 2017, streaming on Amazon Prime) is a longer meditation on Pilate's question, also in the context of a … Continue reading What is Truth?
By Tim Winterstein - There's nothing quite as uncomfortable as watching someone who does awkward well. In comedy, consider both Steve Carell's Michael Scott and Ricky Gervais' David Brent on both the American and English versions of The Office. But Jim Cummings could teach a master class on dramatic and (within the world of the … Continue reading Everything Falls Apart
By Tim Winterstein - [SPOILERS] I don't know if the current cultural moment is producing a thematic bounty of what it means to deal with pain and guilt or if it was always equally present. Either way, the idea of what to do with guilt we can't erase—because we can't go back and undo it—seems … Continue reading To Forget
By Paul Koch - As the 13th chapter of Mark’s Gospel comes to an end the focus or intended purpose of our Lord’s teaching becomes quite clear. It is summed up perfectly in the closing line, “What I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” (Mark 13:37) Over and again the call of … Continue reading Stay Awake
