Sharing 9/11 Prayers, Litanies and Worship Resources

Last updated on: May 7, 2012 at 8:19 am By Nick Nowalk

It is hard to believe that this September will the 10th year since that defining morning when the World Trade Center and our understanding of the world was attacked. I still remember getting into my car that morning shocked at how inappropriate the morning show was being that day. Then the realization that they were not joking hit me as it did for many others. With that day our world was changed forever, political discourse altered and new social tensions emerged. Churches responded in a variety... Read more

Pastoral Transitions in a Social Media World

Last updated on: May 7, 2012 at 8:19 am By Nick Nowalk

Today is my final day as the pastor of Mission Bay Community Church and this post will be the last time, for a while, that I’ll focus on my pastoral life there. It has been a splendid 11+ years, our good-byes were healthy and, after a few last administrative hand-offs, it will be time for us to move onto the next stage of our ministry. For those who have gone through this process before, you know that it can be... Read more

What’s next for BRC

Last updated on: May 7, 2012 at 8:28 am By Nick Nowalk

As many of you know May 29, 2011 will be my final Sunday as the pastor of Mission Bay Community Church, the church I helped to found 11+ years ago. The gratitude for who and what the people of MBCC have been in my life and the life of my family will forever be a reminder of what a faithful group of people can be together when it takes seriously living as the body of Christ. From my March 16,... Read more

Musings on the silliness that is 8th grade “graduation”

Last updated on: August 18, 2012 at 10:35 am By Nick Nowalk

I really should start a new blog called either “Get off my lawn” or “When I was a kid . . .” because as I get older, these things sure are fun to say to my children. And as I do so, with rolling eyes and a playful retort, we dance the dance that is called parenting. My kids know that I am messing with them because they know that I believe that young people today live a dramatically different life than... Read more

To Comment or Not To Comment, That is the Question

Last updated on: May 19, 2011 at 5:57 pm By Nick Nowalk

After yet another round of classy comments from SFGate commenters on my last post, I had another conversations with someone about the usefulness of comments on a blog. For places like SFGate I could probably post, “Puppies are cute!” and I would get some nasty comment about what an idiot I am. I have posted on this before, but I actually think that the comments bother other people more than they bother me. I figure, I am putting my opinions... Read more

My Lunch with Supervisor John Avalos and His Run for Mayor

Last updated on: May 18, 2011 at 3:45 pm By Nick Nowalk

[photo: Luke Thomas] Taking a little break from my normal blog content, I am going to get a little “local politics”and share with you the results of a lunch I had with Supervisor John Avalos from District 11 in San Francisco last month. The church I serve has been located in the Excelsior District of San Francisco for the past couple of years and I have also lived in the nearby Ingleside and Oceanview districts for over 20 years. Both as a local pastor and... Read more

My Hopes as Presbyterians Vote for Inclusion

Last updated on: May 7, 2012 at 8:19 am By Nick Nowalk

UPDATE: Amendment 10a passed the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, 205 in favor, 56 against, 3 abstentions. Originally, I was tying to track some of the responses, but Robert Austell is building a much more complete list of responses from all perspectives. Here are just a few: Letter from Denominational Leadership – PCUSA Video Message from the Moderator of the PCUSA – Cindy Bolbach Presbyterians Clear Way For Gay Clergy – NPR News Cross Posting on The Huffington Post... Read more

My Mixed Reaction to the New Believe Out Loud Video

Last updated on: May 14, 2011 at 9:12 pm By Nick Nowalk

Now for those who know me, there should be no doubt where I stand on homosexuality and the church. Not a sin, not a choice, not an issue for me. Still, there is much work to be done to address how the church responds to the still controversial “issue” of homosexuality. My own denomination, the PC(USA) is about to pass a constitutional amendment that, for all intents in purposes, will no longer exclude LGBT folks from holding the office of... Read more

Bobby Jindal, Birth Certificates and the Politics of Race

Last updated on: May 8, 2011 at 10:54 am By Nick Nowalk

According to this Reuter’s article, this week Bobby “What me, a vice presidential candidate?” Jindal, governor of Louisiana, released a copy of his birth certificate. This was done as a response to an editorial that was in response to his support of Birther inspired legislation that would require all candidates for federal office on Louisiana ballots to show their birth certificates. Good grief. And again I say, “Good. Grief.” First . . . for those who can muster up their best, “What? What’s wrong with asking if people... Read more

Why, When and How I’m Ending My Public Facebook Profile

Last updated on: May 14, 2011 at 9:14 pm By Nick Nowalk

UPDATE, May 7: Profile migration complete. Please “like” and share MY NEW FACEBOOK PAGE. In the whole scheme of the world’s problems, all this Social Media stuff is pretty silly, I know it, you know it . . . but we love it anyway. As many of you know I am one who gets all up into the social networking innards and believe that it is a powerful way to genuinely build and nurture community. Plus I really enjoy diving into the... Read more