In Jr. High, one of my best friends developed a (thankfully temporary) pain in his knees because of how rapidly he was growing. And in a similar manner, our congregation has grown so rapidly since COVID that our “bones” need to catch up. ...
In a new book released last week, The Age of Grievance, American journalist Frank Bruni has offered an insightful examination of the ways in which grievance has come to define our culture (especially in politics, on both the right and left). Bruni documents how more and more of us are keeping a record of slights or pulling out the tape measure on our perceived misfortunes and blaming others for it. As Bruni would say, “The blame game has become the country’s most popular sport and victimhood its most fashionable garb.”...
First, I have to admit that the entire world of modern telecommunications still amazes me. I actually know why we say, “Hang up the phone!” because I grew up when a phone was attached by a cord to the wall, and to end a call, you had to “hang it” back up where it always stayed....
If you ever played hide-and-seek, did you ever really love being the one who was doing the seeking? I hated it. First, it meant that I had been caught first in the prior round when I had been hiding (so it felt like I had failed). Second, I always had a sinking feeling of dread, wondering inwardly, “What if I can’t find anyone?”...
Think about how you are the same, no matter what your age, as the day you were born. Just as an acorn grows from being a large nut to a sprig to a 200-year-old mammoth of a tree, you have gone from being an embryo to a fetus to a newborn baby to a toddler to whatever you are today....
The right tool fits the job. You wouldn’t try to drive in a nail with a tape measure. Even if you tried to do that, failed, and then complained, “This tape measure is no good!”...
If you’re reading this, my guess is that you are not a kid. So, I also suspect you understand basic anatomy and sexuality. ...
We asked, and you answered — thank you! Last month, our leaders asked me to communicate to you that we were behind on giving for 2023, and your response has been encouraging....
For many of you, you may not even know what a sabbatical is. Traditionally, it derived from the world of university professors who were granted a period of paid leave for study or travel. ...
Over the last few years, we’ve weathered COVID-19, profound social and political tensions, and behind it all, there has been a steady shift in what sexuality even is — let alone what is now considered sexually appropriate....
Almost everyone is now aware of the recent surge in COVID infections, courtesy of the Delta variant. As Trinity’s demographic is younger than many churches, last year we saw very few COVID infections relative to other Lakeland congregations....
Keep Reading In case you’re unfamiliar with recent events, Tom Brady helped lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to one of the most unexpected Super Bowl victories ever....
Keep Reading No one needs to be told that almost everywhere, there’s unpredictability. We all know chaos abounds right now. And I do not want Trinity to be part of that chaos....
Keep Reading You likely know that the Continental divide, a ridgeline in the American West, divides where rainfall (or snowmelt) ends up....
Keep ReadingThe daily news is full of strife....
Keep ReadingIn getting a basic physical evaluation, no medical professional asks you one question. They ask you dozens of questions....
Keep Reading The New Oxford Dictionary defines microcosm as: “a community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger.”...
Keep ReadingA professor in a Speech Class that gave us this simple axiom: “Anxiety begets anxiety, and calm begets calm.” You’ve likely experienced it. ...
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