Pastor’s Ponderings

This year I am an astronaut. Last year a train conductor. Over the past few years, I have been a mad scientist, a surfer, a safari guide, Professor Dumbledore and Hagrid (from the Harry Potter books), and a deserted island castaway. When Vacation Bible School comes...

Last week was rather startling, wasn’t it? For three days, the sun turned brown, outdoor activities were canceled and hazy hung in the air.   I remember the reports of the tremendous bush fires that burned in Australia in 2019 and 2020. The fires burnt an...

  The Baltimore-Washington Conference met last week in person for the first time since May 2019. Everyone I recognized seemed slightly older and perhaps wiser than the last time I had seen them.     The session included times of worship and celebration....

      This week I will be participating 239th session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference. This will run from Wednesday through Saturday at the Inner Harbor Hilton Hotel in Baltimore.  The theme of the conference, presided over by Bishop LaTrelle...

It’s been my honor to participate in two different classes at the Frederick School of Religion this spring. One of the classes has been an introduction to Celtic spirituality taught by Dr. Ray Moreland.   I learned that Celtic spirituality was born in the 4th...

In February 2019, the United Methodist Church held a special session of the General Conference to address the matter of same-sex marriage and the ordination of homosexual persons. At that General Conference, a motion was passed that allowed individual congregations...

Today we are heartbroken that another act of senseless violence has brought mourning and devastation to the people of Dallas/Fort Worth and our nation. We grieve with the families of the shooting victims whose lives will never fully return to normal and pray for a...

Some of you have heard the story, but it is still great. Not so long ago, someone was parked in front of Calvary United Methodist Church on a Sunday morning. At around 11:15 or so, people were coming out of the church building after worship and time in the parish...

This Sunday, we will include in the worship service an affirmation of faith known as the World Methodist Social Affirmation. This is found in The United Methodist Hymnal (#886). Here’s the background on it: “This affirmation was adopted by the World Methodist Council...

In worship last Sunday, we said together the Apostle’s Creed. Between now and the Day of Pentecost on May 28, different creeds or affirmations of faith will be included in each Sunday service. Some churches do every week, but I tend to include this in the worship...