Recent Stories
‘Moving Day’ comes to Methodists
Faith Column
Earlier this week many United Methodist congregations in south Georgia received new pastors on what they call “Moving Day,” prompting me to muse about the ways congregations receive new pastors.
Music can lighten up dark times
Religion Columnist
The New York Times printed a fascinating report from William Grimes on May 27, “Something Happened on the Way to Bountiful: Everyone Sang Along.”
Ministers deal with desk work, too
Religion Columnist
A photography student phoned the church a couple of weeks ago, asking the secretary if she could schedule an appointment with me.
Traveling lighter no easy task
Religion Columnist
A few weeks ago I promised some more thoughts on the religious problem behind too much stuff.
Praying women attacked ay Western Wall
Religion Columnist
The Western Wall, one of the most sacred and prominent sites for Jewish and Christian pilgrims in Jerusalem, was the locale for anger, rock tossing and controversy last week when several hundred Jewish women exercised their legal right to pray at that prominent locale.
Pope Francis to redirect the church
Religion column
Almost two months ago Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was elected by his fellow cardinals to serve as the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Offering up a prayer for Sunday ‘no-shows’
Religion column
Last week country and western artist George Jones died. He was a hard-living kind of a fellow, according to the reports, carousing so hard and heavy that he was often too sick or bleary-eyed to appear at his concerts.
Boy Scouts facing their toughest decision
Religion column
Earlier this week I had the privilege of conversing with a Boy Scout executive who is a friend and fellow Rotarian. As an Eagle Scout and Explorer who received my God and Country Award, I have a deep, lifelong appreciation for Scouting.
A prayer offered for Boston
Religion Column
Yesterday an interfaith worship service was held in Boston to begin the process of healing across our nation in the aftermath of the horrific bombing at the Boston Marathon.
Managing stuff takes too much time
Religion column
It is disconcerting to contemplate the amount of stuff that middle class Americans own. Whereas the average size of an American home in 1960 was 983 square feet, that average home had mushroomed something like 250 percent in 2011 to 2,480 square feet, even while the average number of people living in the home shrank. My own family history closely mirrors this trend. My parents raised four children; the six of us lived in a three-bedroom, one-bath house with incredibly small closets. I could not imagine now living in such a home. It couldn’t contain all our stuff.
