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.