Pastor Tom's Community

tomsims

  • Out of the Depths – Psalm 130: Sorrow, Supplication, and Redeeming Love

    “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.” — Psalm 130:1 There are moments in life when we do not pray polished prayers. We cry. Psalm 130 begins there—not in strength, but in depth. Listening, Seeing, and Praying… Continue reading

  • Where Does God Live? (A Reflection on Psalm 132)

    Where does God live? It’s an ancient question—but it still lingers. There was a time when the answer seemed simple: In a sacred place.In a temple.In a city set apart. But Psalm 132 tells a deeper story—one that begins with… Continue reading

  • I Must Walk

    This was actually Jesus’ initial temptation in the wilderness – to abandon the way. It is a struggle. We get weary.. But, like Jesus, and with Jesus, we travel on. It leads home. Continue reading

  • A History We Can Neither Ignore Nor Deny

    My tribe has a checkered history with forced conversions, violent power-grabbing, and militaristic exercise of religious dominance. To deny that is to deny history. To not care is to ignore our own scripture. We are so flawed in our common… Continue reading

  • Sunrise and Sunset

    Looking Toward the Light “…as the light of the morning, when the sun rises,a morning without clouds,like the gleaming of the sun on new grassafter rain.”— 2 Samuel 23:4 Hope rises on the horizon. Wait! Is it sunrise or is… Continue reading

  • Who Is This Man?

    Jesus in the Storm — Matthew 8:23–27 There are storms in life that arrive without warning. One moment the sea is calm.The next moment the wind is howling and the waves are crashing over the side of the boat. Matthew… Continue reading

  • Dangerous Disciples in Dangerous Times

    Danger and safety are not necessarily at odds with each other. We pass through dangers safely when God is with us. What must be protected is protected. In the same way, the church is both a shelter and a force.… Continue reading

  • When the Church Roof Leaks

    “Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.”— Psalm 68:9 Rain is a blessing—especially if you are sheltered under a good roof. Sometimes rain can be overwhelming, even destructive. Storms… Continue reading

  • Call the Plumber

    “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.” – Jeremiah 2:13 I can think of two reasons for a modern… Continue reading

  • Best of Today: Welcome Tables, Barriers, and the Signals We Send

    Some days a theme emerges across several pieces of writing and reflection. Today the theme has been welcome. More specifically, the subtle signals communities, organizations, churches, and businesses send that tell people whether they belong—or whether they should keep their… Continue reading