It would seem that the going theme this year appears to reflect in a bad way Adam Savage’s well known quote, “ I reject your reality and substitute my own”. In 2025, we have observed an attempt to erase meaning for all but those with money and power. This is especially poignant in America where a very toxic form of Christianity blended with nationalism and oligarchy have rewritten historical rules and norms around what it means to know and gain... Read more
What We Wear Shapes How We Live There is an old sailing term that goes something like this, “I really like the cut of his jib.” This phrase means you approve of someone’s general appearance, manner, or character. It originally comes from sailing, where sailors would identify ships by the shape of their jib sails. As Christians, we oft sing “They will know we are Christians by out love.” Our outward appearance often says a lot about who we are.... Read more
When Peace is Born Through Our Yes Christmas Eve Miller’s Station UMC 12/24/25 Anchor Verse: Luke 2: 1-7 Introduction: The Long Waiting Ends I remember all of our births. The moment my wife told me it was time, the long hours of labor, the exhaustion we felt when it was over, the joy and excitement of holding our new child. We now tonight, wait expectantly. Over the past four weeks, we have navigated uncertainty and reflected on our individual callings.... Read more
Miller’s Station UMC 12/21/25 Anchor Verse – Luke 6:35 (27-35) Love This week as we consider the fourth week of Advent and the theme of love, let us pause and reflect on the spiritually deep and at times perplexing nature of love. Too often, especially in our Western context, we reduce this the concept of love—a gift from God—down to a single word, stripping it of the rich cultural and spiritual meaning it holds. But true love, the kind that... Read more
While Christmas is all about decorating trees and spending time with family, for this Parrothead, it is also about celebrating the birth of one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, Jimmy Buffett, who was born on Christmas Day, 1946. While he may be best known for his island escapism musical genre, he is deeply influenced by folk artists and literary giants like Hemingway. When we listen deeply to his songs and we move beyond the escapism, we can... Read more
The Christmas Practice of Joy Advent Week 3 Miller’s Station UMC Anchor verse: Philippians 4:4-7 Quick note – sometimes pastors recycle content. the opening and pieces of this post look like last years. I am going to be level with you all, Christmas has never been my thing. I was a real pill as a kid. We did not know much about ADHD back in the 80’s, it was still treated as a retardation by many of my teachers (though... Read more
Jesus Was A Refugee Recently, an Afghan family in my city received a Habitat for Humanity House. While you would think this would elicit joyous responses, the comments on Facebook were vitriolic. This comes at a time where our country is locked into a strong isolationist mentality and xenophobia (among other phobias) is at an all time high. As disciples of Christ, we have a fundamental calling to stand up for the poor and needy. In this post, I want... Read more
Advent Week 2 – The Achievability of Peace in a Peaceless World Miller’s Station United Methodist Church December 7, 2025 Anchor Verse: Isaiah 11:6 – 9 This is my message to Miller’s Station UMC for 12/7/25. Opening There is a notable video featuring the theorist Albert Ellis, the founder of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy. In this video, Ellis discusses cognitive distortions, emphasizing one in particular. He explains to his audience that many problems arise from self-imposed expectations—what he refers to... Read more
We are all in the process of becoming. I have a love/ hate relationship with winter. I hate the cold and the brutalness of living in Northwest Pennsylvania. I usually do a winter race, sometime in January and February and usually kick myself for doing so. I ran a race a few years ago when I was early in my ultra-running career. It was 7 degrees at the start and 10 by the end. I think I did a half... Read more
Anchor Verse: Luke 1:26- 38 Sermon for Miller’s Station – November 30, 2025 Intro In today’s message, I want to show that God can use anyone to bring the good news. Mary and Joseph were an insignificant couple from an insignificant town that in the telling of the story, transcends cultural norms. It demonstrates to all of us that everyone matters, especially the poor and marginalized. I want you to reflect on the time when you received the news that you were expecting a child or a grandchild, niece, or nephew. ... Read more
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