Jan 17, 2022 | Church News, Rustlings
A fellow church member told me Wednesday evening, “I’m a little jealous of your planned sabbatical.” I understood the sentiment. We both enjoy biblical study, eastern religious thought, and music—all the things I will be engaging during my weeks away. My response was,...
Jan 4, 2022 | Church News, Rustlings
Carson, Laura, Anna, Tina, Jonathan, Rick, Lita, Jessica, Lynn, Michael, Frank, Karen and many more field personnel (missionaries) in many more countries and regions of the United States got paid in 2021. Not only did they receive salaries, but some received...
Dec 20, 2021 | Church News, Rustlings
In 1994, the British romantic comedy Four Weddings and a Funeral hit American cinema screens. Starring Andie MacDowell, Hugh Grant and a few other celebs, the movie follows the ups and downs of love and life over a short period of time in which…well…four weddings and...
Dec 13, 2021 | Christmas at First 2021, Church News, Rustlings
Years ago, I found myself speaking to a group of third graders about the winter holidays. Before my unifying, peace-promoting, educational moment was over, a Jewish boy and Christian boy got into a verbal tussle about whose faith was right and whose was wrong. Their...
Nov 15, 2021 | Church News, Rustlings
We have entered the season of gratitude. Pumpkin—with its associated spices—is flavoring anything edible or smellable. Leaves are releasing their grip on limbs and branches. The air and apples are crisp. The Communion Table is adorned with a cornucopia. We have...
Nov 8, 2021 | Church News, Rustlings
The Apostle Paul writes these words in Romans 12: For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don’t have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another, 6having gifts differing according...
