Category: Journal
-
Unexpected November flower bouquets
I can’t believe my marigolds have not really been killed by frost yet. They were burned this past weekend but I went out ahead of that anticipated cold and rescued flowers for another round of late fall flower arranging. Funny how I let them grow all summer, but when frost threatens, I start cutting and…
-
Parsonage siding project completed
My wife and I are really enjoying the new look at 8 Simsbury Road. The new siding and windows project is complete. The new windows open so easily to catch a breeze or be cleaned, and they look great. Our bright white house looks renewed as we drive up. We are feeling very blessed…
-
More history from our house
In my previous post regarding our house at 8 Simsbury Road, I suggested that part of the older house that had been pictured in the Granby Drummer and is shown above had been preserved and reused in the the current structure. At that time I was basing my idea largely on a single piece of…
-
Historical picture of our house
I enjoy reading the historical column in the Granby Drummer. But this last week I was in for a surprise. I was reading the article about a nineteenth century West Granby resident named Myron Graham. Beside the article was a picture of the house that Mr. Graham had lived in with a small caption reading…
-
Building my Daylily Collection Thoughtfully
A few years back, after a vacation in the Adirondack Mountains of upper New York state, we decided to head toward Vermont passing just north of Lake George on Rt. 74. As we were viewing the scenery along Eagle Lake, I nearly screeched to a halt in the road and put the car in…
-
Pastor Jones Honored for Forty Years of Ministry
JoAnne and I were at our church’s annual summer picnic, held this year at Sunrise Park in Suffield, CT. I saw the cake on the table decorated with “40 years” but did not read further as the words were partly covered by the box. Thinking about the summer fiftieth anniversary celebrations of some in…
-
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…
-
A needed voice in the debate on homosexual practice
Unfortunately, in the Methodist church these days, much conversation revolves around the current debates and maneuverings regarding the issue of homosexuality especially as it pertains to church leaders. This thoughtful and honest article by Gary Ingraham brings the voice that needs to be heard in this acrimonious debate. There is no rancor or crusading, just…
-
Three hundred messages of hope, faith and discipleship
My blog has reached a milestone! There are three hundred manuscripts now available for download under the Sermons tab. These are public messages as they are called in my short list of the most recent ones. They are the homilies and discourses I have given for the encouragement of the congregation in Christian faith and…
-
The Privilege of Mentoring
On Sunday afternoon, Oct. 7, 2018, my wife and I left right after services at Copper Hill Church and drove all afternoon to Canandaigua, New York to attend the ordination service of the Central New York district of the Wesleyan Church. I had been asked to present, which means to formally introduce, a younger man…