Pastor Tom's Journal

Words matter because, in some mysterious way, they are alive. "Logos," is defined most often as "word," but it is also "principle," "idea," "truth," or "the things spoken of." It is also the act of speaking. It is both in-transient and dynamic. You speak a word, with or without intent, and the DNA of that word plants itself in the soul of the hearer. There, it is influenced by biases and that soul's own hunger. It takes root and bears fruit. We ought to choose our words so that they are clear, compelling, compassionate, and consistent with what we truly want them to convey and accomplish. We ought to choose them before we speak them. Choose them with intent and purpose. Choose them knowing that after we release them, we will no longer have control over how they are received or what they will do in the lives of others. We need to remember that words matter and that they can build up or tear down. Let us speak to edify. ...

Happy Mother’s Day Photo by Sidney Pearce on  Unsplash I recorded a 25 minute sermon from the notes below, but … somehow, there was no sound. It was silent. I replaced it with a shorter version. Here is the text of the sermon I first recorded — Rough Notes. Mother’s Day, not Mothers’ Day is an American tradition started by a daughter, Anna Marie Jarvis, who felt one day needed to be set aside for children to honor their own mothers. Paul reminds us that we are part of a larger family as well and that the call to honor is even broader. “[Treat] the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” -1 Timothy 5:2 Just who is your mother? Timothy had his own mother and grandmother, but as a pastor, he was to set an example to all the church to treat all the elder women as mothers. They were to be respected, honored, and treated with care and affection. Who is your mother? Who do you honor on Mother’s Day? First, it would be the woman who gave you birth. Whil...

Story or History? Myth or Events? What Is the Meaning in the Moments? The Key to Theological Reflection is Asking: Where is God and What Is God Saying?