Pastor Tom's Community

God of all creation, Father of life and love and truth,Our One and only Master, Your grace, mercy, and peace have sustained us through these days.We have been touched by deep sorrow and burning anger. Our hearts have been shaken.Our lives have been bruised.We have looked into our times as a mirrorAnd the reflection we…

The Love of God (Judges 5:7)  The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.  Deborah was no stereotypical mother. But a mother, she was.  She was a leader in Israel. She was a wife. She was as tough as nails and…

There are costs to following Jesus and excuses for not doing so. Everything of value costs something. We can think of endless excuses to procrastinate, obstinate, and prevaricate. We'll do anything but drop whatever we are doing and change directions. It is a control issue – we want to be in control. Mostly, we want…

I am going back five years as I prepare to turn the corner on another milestone, a 20 year anniversary as pastor of the church I serve. I wrote the following piece and blogged it here five years ago as I prepared to celebrate 15. I revise and re-blog it now, a couple of weeks…

"At twenty a man is full of fight and hope." "At twenty a man is full of fight and hope. He wants to reform the world. When he's seventy he still wants to reform the world, but he knows he can't." - Clarence S. Darrow I guess I'll have to wait a few more (11) years…

Are you afraid of empty tombs? Fear not. Listen to  Matthew 28:1-10 Or read along. It had not occurred to me that there might be a pervasive fear among us of empty tombs. I am certainly aware of the fear of death – and that might be part of it. I have known people who…

Morning has come. It is a new day. The King has risen. It is yet dark, but the sun is rising because the Son is risen! I wonder if you know Him … That's my King!     That’s My King "The Bible saysHe’s the King of the JewsHe’s the King of IsraelHe’s the King…

There is no Sunday without Saturday. Before we celebrate, let us contemplate. Before we bounce in the light; let us renounce the darkness. Before we exult, let us exalt the moment of His being abandoned, forsaken, and vulnerable. Once, there was great darkness and the memories and residual pain of that darkness sometimes emerge in…

Ave Verum Corpus by William Byrd. Text:"Ave verum Corpus, natum de Maria Virgine:vere passum immolatum in cruce pro homine:cujus latus perforatum, unda fluxit sanguine:esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examineO Jesu dulcis, O Jesu pie, O Jesu fili Mariae,miserere mei, Amen" "Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary,Who has truly suffered, was sacrificed on the…

Are you growing anything? How about yourself? On these days of planting and in this season of considering the great seed planted for redemption, I have to wonder. I had to throw together a speech for a parenting class and for a parenting educators class some years back. Both were graduating. The applications were slightly…