Pastor Tommy

Daniel: the heat is on

Daniel: the heat is on

While reading parts of the Book of Daniel, I couldn't help but take a side trip to explore the song's background with the same name. The song Daniel was written by Bernie Taupin and put to music, and recorded by Elton John. The common name is apparently a coincidence....

Pastor’s Book Club News

Pastor’s Book Club News

We finished our discussions of Braving the Wilderness by Dr. Brené Brown. So now we’re ready for our February selection. The book that we’re using as a key resource for our series, the Way, is sure to spark interesting, if not controversial, discussion. In his book,...

Jesus movement: Power in weakness

Jesus movement: Power in weakness

This past week I attended a tribute to a friend and colleague, the later Rev. Alonzo Vincent. Born in Chicago in the 1940s, Rev. Vincent experienced life as a prophetic voice commissioned by God and as a black man. Speaker after speaker shared stories of admiration...

Courage: At home in the wilderness1

Courage: At home in the wilderness1

What frightens you? This past week, Christina Caron shared that she was afraid of driving in a New York Times article. As a result, she avoided driving for almost a decade until the pandemic motivated her to face her fears. On the first day of driving school,...

Coming up in Worship: The Way

Coming up in Worship: The Way

The American Revolution, as taught in history classes across the U.S., was a necessary and heroic struggle for freedom. It was necessitated by unfair taxation without representation in government. Pastors offered moral justification for war from pulpits across the...

Collective effervescence: Welcome to worship

Collective effervescence: Welcome to worship

A year ago, in a Forbes Magazine article, Tracy Brower wrote that "The pandemic has played havoc with our mental health." Top among reasons that so much isolation is bad for mental health is that "We are hardwired for connection." And the key to feeling connected is...

No bull: Speaking truth to bull artists

No bull: Speaking truth to bull artists

We've all been there. A time when someone is speaking about a topic they clearly know nothing about. Truth and lies flow out with equal measure and emphasis. Even if we like the person our minds wander to more productive scenery, wondering when the speaker will...

Steps: Remembering accountability

Steps: Remembering accountability

As I write this article, I'm acutely aware that this week is the anniversary of the attack on our nations' capital. I'm also mindful of how politicized this event was before, during, and after the event took place. And, like most of you, I have opinions. It would be...

Temptations: Packing for the wilderness1

Temptations: Packing for the wilderness1

It's 2022 — a new year is underway. Have you committed to any resolutions this year? If not, I highly recommend it. Even if you don't keep them, there is therapy committing to important ideas and moving in a direction that helps them come true. If you have committed...

A Community in Love with God, Each Other, and our Neighbors.