Love, Love, Love

Here's my latest sermon from First Pres. for the fourth Sunday in Advent.

Get in the Way!

Here's my latest sermon from First Presbyterian on the first Sunday of Advent. Peace!

The Lost One

It's hard to come to grips with such terrible events as the one we experienced this past day-after-Thanksgiving. Kelly already blogged about it, and it was a significant part of my sermon this morning. When we learned that a two and a half year old boy went missing in our neighborhood, we were overcome with feelings of empathy. We immediately (if innocently) put the face of our own two year old on the one who had disappeared. It was because of our connection as parents of two young children that we felt such responsibility to help find this young child, Luis. The result on Saturday was not what we wanted to hear, that he had fallen through a septic tank cover that had not been properly sealed.
As people reflected on the message this morning on their way out the door, many were asking the questions that I am not interested in asking. The "whys" of these kinds of events don't usually satisfy our human need to rationalize the results. Rather, I want to know how God is going to walk through our tragic moments with us. Suffering, as it's been presented to me, is a universal human experience. How we deal with it--how God helps us deal with it, is something that goes beyond our human ability.
The other part of my sermon today dealt with Harmony and her testimony about hope, having been through a terrible car accident and speaking into the amazing truth that retribution is not ours--forgiving the drunk driver, finding her faith even stronger because of her gratitude--not bitter for having her life forever altered. What grace and promise we can find if we look for
God, even through the tragic. I'm filled with sorrow, suffering and hope--all at the same time today. Only God could fill me with such complexities. And I'm grateful. Peace be with you all.

You. . .Complete Me!!!

Here's Tim's latest sermon, preached at First Presbyterian on October 25th.

Baseball and the divine

I get excited by watching baseball. Most of my friends, who tend to like football (which I also enjoy) think baseball is boring and dull. I suppose that more accurately describes my personality and I wonder if this is why I gravitate towards this particular sport. It doesn't move quickly and it is not full of hard hits and bloody carnage. But it is more a test of the mind, the body, and the spirit, I think. There is strategy, patience (inherent in the game itself) and stamina. I also don't think many realize how difficult it really is to hit a round ball with a round bat. So, it is something I enjoy. And I really love my Phillies. Last year was wonderful, after struggling to stick with them for 28 years, they finally won another World Series. And while this is exciting for me, I often wonder why so many of us get so concerned about sports. It is a chance, I suppose, to live vicarious lives. It's akin to the virtual community that allows us to escape, be someone else, not have to deal with the reality of everyday struggles. Does God really care about our sporting? As was said to me once, "Maybe it's a better outlet for our barbaric tendencies than killing each other in hand-to-hand combat." I would have to agree. Anyway, I'll continue to relish the chance to root for my team and cheer them on--whatever that is supposed to mean.

The Passing of the Peace

Ever heard a college fight song used as part of a sermon? Well, wait no more. This is my latest message at First Presbyterian, based on Genesis 15:7-21. Click here to listen.

Back into the Swing

We just returned home last evening from a 10 day vacation to the north (Pennsylvania) and enjoyed some wonderful weather, time with family and friends, and both of our boys. It was not restful, but it was enjoyable. It seems that parenting never takes a vacation. Even with the help of family, additional grandparents, aunts, uncles, and surrogates, we found that our boys needed a great deal of attention. It isn't possible to just sit around and rest anymore. So, as the saying goes, we need a vacation from vacation. We're glad to return home to the familiar surroundings, but there is something familiar about our destination each time we're in Pittsburgh. It's not our immediate home, but it will always be "home", for what it's worth. Roots are there, friends are still there, and even though some new buildings go up and old ones fall down, the city is quite familiar to us.
The differences are the present place in life we find ourselves--while we were in PA, Kelly and I celebrated 7 years of our first date, which seems like yesterday and also so many life changes ago. We have been married over 5 years, have two children and some great learning in between. We are so grateful that our home will always be where we happen to be, yet we are also thankful for our past and the ways it has brought us into the present.

Camp is Fun!

I've just spent this past week leading worship for a bunch of campers at Cedarkirk Camp and Conference Center in Lithia, Florida. At the same time, I'm missing my old TYC (Trinity Youth Conference) community up in Schellsburg, PA, who are also meeting this week. TYC was where my faith was not so much formed, as it was refined. So, this is the 4th time I've led worship at Cedarkirk, and each time I don't actually stay at the camp, but rather drive out each evening because it's only 15 miles from our home. In the past, I wanted to sleep in my own bed, be with Kelly and the dogs, and then Micah and Liam came along, so I'm even more inclined to be at home. But this week, I'm really glad I didn't stay. The whole camp has been battling an outbreak of swine flu. Thirty-some campers left early, and it's put a bit of a damper on the week for those that have remained. But God is still here and we're still worshiping as we are called to. Prayers go out for those who have been suffering with the high fevers and ickyness. I'm hopeful that all recover well. In the meantime, I'll return to my family and enjoy (hopefully without the flu) the weekend. Liam gets baptized this Sunday, so that will be a celebration. I hope he doesn't cry.

Unmaking of a Part Time Christian

I'd like to promote my friend, Derek's, latest book today. Derek has a great gift for articulating the faith, turning complexities into simplicities, and most of all, challenging us to think. I've appreciated his partnership in ministry and wish for him that his writings continue to find a new audience. Please check out the book if you have the means.

Emerging Worship

I've been working with a small group to begin planning a new worship service at our church. The rules are---there are no rules! The more we study and think and try to be good, headstrong Presbyterians, the more we realize that we don't have to worry about this so much. While using our minds and our spirits and our hearts and our strength to serve the Lord, there is so much that we don't seem to know about the folks who aren't church-goers. The unchurched, dechurched, rechurched among us are the folks we would love to reach through a very different gathering time, but the orderly, linear way of doing all things Presbyterian isn't the way to go about it. In fact, the Presbyterians are starting to realize, I think, that we've been so worried about being in order for so long, that we haven't let the Spirit have its way with us to the fullest extent. So, what are we going to do? I hope to continue to reflect on that in the next few months ahead.

Baking @ WDW w/the fam.

Getting ready to head home.

Heading home.

Getting ready for a worship meeting.

Social Notworking!

It's always interesting to see what kind of toys are out there. I realized that I don't have to "update my status" every 2 minutes, and even less importantly, I don't have to do it on every different outlet I've created. I didn't realize how many different ways to touch base there were. I'm hoping that I can find an easy way to post my bi-weekly newsletter article, my blog, my status and my Tim-centric perspective. For as much as this technology is about the "ME", I suppose it can also be about the "WE" and the opportunities we have for relationship, if only by e-lationship. Lord, show us how to be in this ever-growing new world!

Pong!

Trying to ping. . . "PING!!!"

Managing my virtual life

I'm realizing, that keeping up with facebook, twitter, blogger, website updates for the church, and all the peripheral stuff can be quite a full time job in and of itself. I'm not sure, in our desire to be connected, how much time to spend and justify, but it has become a sort of ministry for those of us who are online a good bit of the time. I'm grateful that technology allows for it, but not always sure of the best way to utilize it. I hope I can sort this out!

Tim's latest sermons

Here are Tim's messages from the last three weeks:

June 21st, Father's Day: "A Father's Forgiveness"

June 28th: "What Does a Sheep Say?"

July 5th: "Finding Our Coin"

Surgery pics of Liam

Dad ready for surgery observation and moral support.Dr. Den Haese on the right performing the C-Section.Liam's head emerges.And the rest of him follows suit.All the way out, with Dr. Den Haese getting ready to cut the cord.Daddy gets to cut the rest!

The Mystery of What We'll Become

Here's Tim's latest sermon preached on April 26th, 2009. Click here to download.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Here's Tim's latest sermon from March 29th, 2009 at First Presbyterian Church of Brandon.

Street Smarts

Click Here to listen to this sermon.

Ash Wednesday Message--"It's All About (Name)"

Click Here to hear the sermon.

A Blog for Every Season

It is Lent. We're in the midst of this time of self-examination and exploration of the depths of our spirits. It can get messy. It can get ugly. It is part of the purification of our 'selves' that needs to happen to let God come in and fill us.
I hope that this Lent we can learn to depend even more on God for all that we need. Too many times we seem to try to fend for ourselves and this is not how God created us. Yet, I'm guilty of it as much as anyone. Finding a way to lean on God more and more means we have to give up more and more. In this time of economic crisis, we seem to give up things only when we absolutely have to, and because people are out of money, out of housing, out of employment--giving up is starting to happen more frequently. But this giving up should actually lead us to greater happiness. I hope the lesson learned from this day and age is not lost in despair, but an invitation to hope again.

Jesus Added You as a Friend on Facebook

CLICK HERE to hear this sermon from February 8, 2009 at First Presbyterian Church of Brandon, Florida.