Says Fleming: “Advent is designed to show that the meaning of Christmas is diminished to the vanishing point if we are not willing to take a fearless inventory of the darkness.” We often understand Advent as a season of preparation for Christmas and our celebration of Jesus’ birth. And surely it is that, in part. …
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With haste, she packed her belongings into a duffel. She folded her jeans and some blouses and wondered how long she’d fit into them. She zipped her bag shut and sadly glanced at the wedding dress hanging in her closet. Seeing it, she knew it would be too small on her wedding day, should that…
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My Pastoral Theology professor was a sage: proverbial sayings, experience, the “look” – he had it all. The only Anglo-Catholic priest at my evangelical Episcopal seminary, he was the least likely source of radical grace. Surrounded by young seminarians eager to change the world, he would drop adages like “people can’t hear you until they’re…
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It’s Advent in Virginia and, it may be cold outside, but both of our daughters have fevers. I just finished putting down Miriam (adopted, 9 months old); but Allie (wife, 33) will have to put her down at least once more with the dexterity of Indiana Jones finessing an ancient bust from a booby trap…
Read More“The sermon should end with a promise because God’s purposes cannot be defeated; that’s his promise. So that if we have received the gift of faith, we need to know that God is present in that gift of faith and even when we think we are losing our faith, God is still there.” – Fleming…
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A few months ago, I began to have seizures…again. I was diagnosed with epilepsy about eight years ago and, until recently, the seizures seemed to be under control. Currently, I am on restricted driving until I go six months without having an episode. So, I’ve been taking Uber and Lyft. While inconvenient, the experience has…
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My niece Emma was born after I escaped the snowy northeast for the palm tree and strip mall-studded warmth of SouthFlorida. But, through the miracle of the internet, I’ve been able to see her little face and hear her sweet voice just about every week as she’s grown. I especially love FaceTiming with Emma onChristmas…
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I could hear them from some distance away, even before I climbed the cold, brick steps that led to the lawn. I had thought it was going to be a celebration. I was expecting joy. Instead I was left with…longing. I was expecting joy. It was nearly Christmas after all. Loudly colored lights traced several…
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Be baptized, repent and believe! You might hear this words preached or even be the one preaching on them tomorrow. You might even be reading this while writing your sermon, making the final preparations for worship on the second Sunday of Advent. Repentance is part of the preparations for Advent. I write about the topic…
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