Pastor’s Ponderings

Some of you may have come across the news regarding the United Methodist Church’s postponement of the General Conference session. In pre-pandemic times, the United Methodist Church as a worldwide denomination meets once every four years to decide matters related to...

This certainly are challenging times for churches everywhere. The pandemic and polarization in the culture have intensified trends that were already present.  Out of concern for safety, many older members chose to stay at home as well as families with younger...

After weeks of building up troops and assembling the machinery of war along the border with Ukraine, Russian troops were ordered in to invade and occupy a sovereign country. This is an act of naked aggression carried out by the bully who is President of Russia....

    The season of Lent begins next week on Wednesday, March 2. For forty days (plus six Sundays), followers of Christ around the world will be focusing on their spiritual life and preparing for the celebration of Easter. This is the ideal time to take up...

Amy and David Carter have been members of Calvary Church for the last 20 years. Soon they will be moving along with daughters Grace and Rachel to Georgia. We wish them well with this move and new chapter of life. During the time that they have been part of Calvary...

I enjoy reading. The written word provides a way to see things from a new perspective, learn new ideas, visit faraway places and find new connections. I enjoy reading poetry and history, science fiction and biographies, novels and essays.  I try to read broadly and...

I want to share some news with you about some of my “extra-curricular activities.” In addition to serving as your pastor, I have taken on a new responsibility that I wanted to tell you about.   The Rev. Lucy Hogan was a guest preacher here at Calvary Church last...

        One of the things that is disrupted during this pandemic is worshipping together with others in the same room. Something happens when we pray and sing and praise God together with other people in close proximity that is different when we do...

Here is an update on our search for a new Director of Music and Organist. Meg Winter, Joyce Summer and I are conducting the search on behalf the Staff Parish Relations Committee. In the fall, we advertised the position on the American Guild of Organists website that...

One of the things that I’d like us to do as a congregation in 2022 is have a conversation about human sexuality. Here’s why. In the coming year, congregations in The United Methodist Church will very likely be forced to make a decision in the coming year about how...