What endeavor is before you that has you praying, “Grant me wisdom, grant me courage, for the living of these days?” It might be a project at work or a challenge at home. For my own personal life, the endeavor … Continue reading
Harry Emerson Fosdick, a great preacher in the early twentieth century wrote the words for the “Living of These Days.” His days included deeply divisive social issues and deep personal depression. As I write about the courage for the living … Continue reading
My daily devotionals are often the texts of hymn writers. I find their poetry remains in my heart and mind either in song or through spoken word throughout the day. Their poetic, rhyming lines evoke a wide range of thoughts … Continue reading
Much like Highland’s membership, our buildings and systems are a mixture of old and new. There is much here that has stood faithfully during decades of use and much that injects new life into these sacred halls. We use it … Continue reading
On Sunday mornings, we gather to read litanies, hear carefully prepared proclamation, and share our traditional exchanges: “May the peace of Christ be with you.” With the exception of a recent Sunday when one of my sons yelled, “AND ALSO … Continue reading
“For the living of these days”… a line from Harry Emerson Fosdick’s hymn of the same name, implies the facing of difficult challenges in our days. At this moment, my own challenges are more personal. The long illness and death … Continue reading
Phil and I lost a tree this week… no big deal except it was a very large tree that fell in the middle of the night—a beautiful white oak that one arborist said may date to the Civil War. We’re … Continue reading
An important part of Friday Church is the welcoming atmosphere members of the recovery community find there. It’s like a safe harbor for storm-tossed sailors nursing their vessels back to health after being shattered by addiction. And I’ve noticed that … Continue reading
This past weekend, the Young Adults of Highland Baptist Church retreated to Camp Pyoca, just south of Brown County, Indiana. The retreat was titled “Belong: Knowing Self, Finding Community” and was inspired by Brene Brown’s book Braving The Wilderness. Together, we … Continue reading
Somebody once said, ”Organized religion is a really good thing – the more organized the better.” He later explained that when people react against “organized religion” what they’re really objecting to is “what I would call disorganized religion. It is organized … Continue reading