Who knew going to the grocery store could be so treacherous? I lay out the game plan on the way home: Take the bags in; careful handwashing. Take the groceries out, toss the bags, repeat the handwashing. But, of course, it dawns on me later that everything we bought still has been touched by at least three people: the person(s) who restocks shelves, the cashier, AND the bagger. What pathogens might linger? Who knew just going to the grocery store... Read more
Will your church survive? Not in the form it is in now. Some budgets cannot recover, mainly if we stay in recession mode for a while. Unpaid mortgages could easily lead to many buildings going back to lenders, although most lenders will probably make drastic moves to keep that from happening. Church staff will see massive layoffs. And people will discover the joys of relaxed Sunday mornings. As I continue with my morning habit of reading the print news, I’m... Read more
And yet, I understand the “Get it while we can” urge. Scarcity has been part of human existence from the beginning. There is always something scarce. But we leave out the poor, the hungry, and the naked. They can’t get it at all. I nearly went under while reading the newspapers today. An article about what the novel coronavirus does to the body finally put me over the edge. I put down the newspapers, tidied the kitchen, and headed outside.... Read more
I do not find the “just trust God” mantra helpful. Anyone who is not alarmed is just nuts. It’s not just our health care situation; it is a fractured economy. Millions are going to be out work, many small (and large) businesses will not survive; countless people will be thrust suddenly and quickly into poverty. The news gets consistently worse. Some epidemiologists predict that the US is only about ten days behind Italy, where the medical profession and hospitals are... Read more
And then I went outside and saw the “Bradford Pear snow” from our currently flowering tree. These trees, planted in abundance 20-30 years ago, are now officially labeled as “junk” trees and are slowly being removed. But they are also magic in their messiness. They remind me that spring is just around the corner. A couple of days ago, I checked on one of my sons, who, along with his wife and my 13th grandchild-to-be, live in NYC. My son’s reply,... Read more
It’s time to cancel GC2020: 864 delegates, primarily older, many with chronic diseases, and many from overseas, a host of reserve delegates and support staff. All meet across tables, rarely get enough sleep, see little or no fresh air, grab food when they can, and are often tired, stressed, and on-edge. It’s irresponsible. But we can’t cancel it legally. Well, I’m glued to the news, extremely worried about my aging friends and family and others who are already ill, and... Read more
Even as I appreciate their attempt to mediate the great divorce, frankly, every single one of the people who created and signed this document is himself/herself guilty of disobedience to The Discipline of The United Methodist Church and should have charges brought against them. And I support, with reservations and questions about constitutionality, what they have done. At 9:50 am, this article from the Washington Post article hit my news feed. Lead-in reads this way: Church leaders agreed to spin... Read more
Above all, do not impeach Donald Trump. If Mr. Trump did it, then God wants it. Quit getting in God’s way or you will pay. Never forget: God gets to be vengeful, not you. Be quiet and learn to submit to the superior forces. * See note on my mental state at bottom of the page. Currently, many small-minded people think President Donald Trump is most certainly guilty of various high crimes and misdemeanors. Yes, so-called “evidence” points that way.... Read more
So who profits in a split of some sort? The Evangelicals. The UMC is ripe for the pickings because of the fragile nature of our connection and the massive underlying financial assets. First, the Cypriot situation Recently, as part of a cruise to the Middle East, we landed on the island of Cyprus for a brief one-day stop. Being one who likes to plan things out well in advance, I tend to pick the tours we will take at any... Read more
I’m now convinced that in nearly every society an anti-Christ has emerged. It’s not a one-time event, but an event that our human nature demands with boring regularity. The charismatic, powerful leader, seemingly emerging from nowhere, who, if we will only trust him/her/them enough to overlook the subtlety of the evil whispers in his/her/their ear, will solve our problems. Silence and clarity Awed into silence over the frescos on the ceiling of the Duomo de Orvieto, the sunrise of clarity... Read more
