The Next Step

The Next Step

“We’ve never done it this way before.” This statement often comes as a response to an idea or proposal that is new or foreign to us.  It is usually a mark of resistance against something unfamiliar and unknown.  I have heard it said that these are the seven last words...
Faith rather than fear

Faith rather than fear

Dear friends, My cousin recognized this as a Clematis.   I think it is very pretty and showy, and grows in the backyard of the parsonage.  It makes me smile to look at it, and that’s a good thing, in these days when we dance between anxiety and uncertainty. I pray...
Do you hear God?

Do you hear God?

This week Scarlett asked us to look for moments where we see God. Normally, I am very visual. I’m also becoming more and more hard of hearing. So I expected to see God all around me. I thought the visual aspects of daily life and getting a small group together on a...
Reaching Gods people

Reaching Gods people

I went to the Community Lunch this week.  A host of volunteers from Surfside UMC danced around the room, welcoming people, bringing drinks, a hot lunch and dessert.  There was conversation and laughter, and 160 people were fed, body and soul. Thank you to all who...
Plans and proposals

Plans and proposals

Dear friends, last week many of us were caught off guard by the release of the Protocol that made the news and seemed to indicate an imminent split of the church.  That was not accurate.   At the conclusion of the special called session of the General Conference...
Holy living

Holy living

In Traditional worship, the hymns we sing during Advent often reflect our mutual longing for Jesus’ second Advent.  We yearn for the day when Jesus returns and all is made right in the world. This morning we sang, “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” with words written by...