Pastor Tom's Community

  Medieval western illustration of the Pentecost from the Hortus deliciarum of Herrad of Landsberg (12th century) “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.”– Acts 2:3 The tongue holds a prominent place in scripture – sometimes for the evil it can do and other times as a tremendous…

This is a day of unity and mission. We remember so that we may look forward.

The advantages to smiling are both documented and anecdotal. Yet, they are very real.

Originally posted and revised from October 20, 2006 A man's steps are directed by the LORD.        How then can anyone understand his own way? – Proverbs 20:24 (New International Version) The very steps we take come from God;    otherwise how would we know where we're going? - Same verse (The Message) γνώθι σεαυτόν  (Greek Proverb inscribed…

Well managed forgetfulness.

"The LORD is my portion;" When life and life's goods are divided like a fat inheritance, one signs the distribution papers gladly with YAHWEH as one's portion, leaving the fading things behind. "I promise to keep your words." Some meditations on Psalm 119:57-64 I feel a bit bold, audacious, and, frankly, hypocritical, praying along with…

I've been noticing that if I am alone and I spill something, break something, cut myself, do something stupid or have something stupid happen to me, my reaction is …. {drum roll} … SILENCE … … loud, audacious silence I say nothing, grunt nothing, shout nothing. That tree fell in the forest and no one…

It is always almost safe to say things from a distance that could apply at any time but cannot be confused as current endorsements or the opposite. I found these on a memory feed from another year. I can hardly ever get to sleep on election night. It is worse than Christmas Eve. So, thank…

"In the early days of Christianity the old world was going to pieces through its corruptions and unworkable ways. But in the midst of that decaying society was an undecaying society — the Christian society. The surrounding society built on hate, selfishness, and fear had lost its nerve — the universe was against it. This…