Category: Forward Look
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Five Books for a Changed Life Pt. 3
Recent reads with insightful content and powerful personal impact Time to continue our series on life-changing books. Looking for suggestions as to what to read? This is the third post in my five-part series about some of the most impactful books that I have recently read. I’m passing along some suggestions for your reading list…
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Thinking Ahead
This is a powerful article for today. The questions near the end could be used to help the thinking of every church leader and church council/board/session. We are coming to a major transition period when the current restrictions end. It is an unprecedented opportunity for positive adaptation to the true needs of our culture. outreachmagazine.com/interviews/54136-the-future-is-now.html
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Appointed for a Seventh Year
This past weekend at NY Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church I was officially stationed as pastor at Copper Hill United Methodist Church for a seventh year. I am thankful to God and to District Superintendent Rev. Alpher Sylvester and Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton for the opportunity to continue to serve as pastor to…
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Great article on the current state of the United Methodist church
Here is a link to one of the best articles I have seen analyzing the historical and current situation in the United Methodist church. It is well worth reading. Chaplain Philips has both the wisdom of a long time United Methodist and the slight detachment and broad perspective provided by his years in the military…
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A Blogging Milestone
I noticed that the total count of my posts, pages, sermons and comments on my blog has passed the 1000 mark. More than five hundred of those blog events are posts. Just over one hundred fifty are sermon manuscripts of messages prepared since coming to Copper Hill UMC. To be honest, I thought I would…
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A New Name for my Blog
Sometimes when I see one of those big flashing arrow signs on the highway pointing to a lane closure or a detour, I reflect on how we might wish that life came with flashing directional signals that we could not miss. I know I have needed such a thing more than once. But life does…
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Liturgy of pastoral transition
A blessed day at church What a wonderful pair of worship services this morning. Attendance was high (211) and excitement was higher as we sang from hearts that needed the reminder; I Walk by Faith and worshipped our heavenly Father on Father’s Day with choruses and hymns. I played trombone with the worship team so…
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Downsizing a library
At this time in my life, as I get ready to move, and try to sort through the accumulations of 22 years living in one house, I’m reminded of the words of Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4-6 (NIV) There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: … 4 a…
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Plans for our remaining Sundays at Kirkville
The remaining weeks of our time here at Kirkville will be busy ones. We have saved a few weeks vacation to help us have time to pack and visit our family in CT and western NY. I am also doing some reading in preparation for my new part-time position at Copper Hill UMC. You know…
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A new assignment
Today it was announced at both churches that I have a new part-time pastorate in Connecticut starting in July after my retirement from full-time ministry here in Kirkville. I will begin serving as the pastor at a very old and historic United Methodist Church at Copper Hill, Connecticut. There is a very roomy parsonage…