I checked my archived emails. It was January 3, 2005 that I received an email containing the following text:Hello Rev. Butler I work in the office building across 8th Street from your church. My office moved here in June. I’ve obviously noticed the construction activity on your building. Being on the 8th floor, I get a fantastic view of the work being done on the spire. I also noticed all the Camp Fraser activity this summer. My curiosity got me... Read more
The Pastoral Relations Committee asked me to communicate more with the congregation, thus this blog. Most days I am happy to note my general observations of the world, but some days the world just doesn’t seem to be especially rose-colored. Or funny. So here’s an entry about the cold, hard reality of Sunday afternoons . . . and, this week, also Monday mornings. Warning: if you prefer to see the pastor as someone who is always positive, joyful, holy and... Read more
It seems like standing on the edge of a new year always makes me stop for a minute to celebrate the good things in the year gone by, but I also spend a lot of time thinking hard about what’s been missing in my life.I adapted this poem of Joyce Rupp’s to post my thoughts as I stand on the edge of this New Year. May 2006 be full of all of these . . . for all of us.... Read more
A lot of people seem to think that by this time in my life I should have figured out the whole God thing. Answers for every question, you know?This is particularly true given my profession. So I figured it might not be a bad idea for me to revisit some of the basics as we enter a brand new year. First on my list to consider: Does God really exist?Recently, a friend invited me to explore this great site on... Read more
Wishing You PeaceThe Butlers 2005 (Isn’t this greeting beautiful?? To read more about the joy of creating it, click here.) Read more
I noticed a few nights ago while at a holiday party that, once people find out what kind of job I have the first thing they ask is how I am surviving this week. Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, as you know, making regular Christmas Clergy Stress rather intensified (and, in case you’re wondering, no, we do not cancel church for Christmas, the holiday on which we celebrate the birth of Christ). All of that was on my... Read more
I’ll admit I am not always the most appreciative recipient of my friends’ Christmas letters. I mean, I love hearing about their lives and seeing how much their kids have grown, but it just seems like everyone has the most delightful time writing about their most wonderful year and sending it to all their dearly beloved friends. And I feel that perhaps my life (wonderfully fabulous as it is mind you) just might not be the same level of wonderful... Read more
If I don’t watch it my 7 year old Sammy is likely to start his own blog. Lately he has been spending a lot of time on the computer composing essays with titles like, “Quidditch” and “The Case of the Dragon”. His most recent composition is entitled “My Life in Second Grade”. Excuse me, but what kind of 7-year-old voluntarily sits down at the computer to write an essay called “My Life in Second Grade”? In the first place, I... Read more
It is freezing outside today, and I am not just saying that because I grew up in Hawaii. Even though the sun is out the wind is rather cutting; it makes the 40 degrees outside seem just a little cooler than 40 degrees. Thank goodness there’s a whole lot of warmth, goodwill and charity floating around; they help with the temperature. Those and the cute purple chenille gloves my colleague John Mein gave me yesterday. This afternoon I had the... Read more
I am going to write a book someday. I’m sure of it. I’ve already assembled quite a few topics I’ve filed away, things I know I have profound thoughts about somewhere . . . if only I could find them. It was suggested to me today by a church member that I entitle my yet-to-be-written book Real Preachers Wear Stilettos. Boy does that tell you something about the sort of people who worship at Calvary (thanks for the suggestion, Kevin)!... Read more
Talk with the Preacher
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In