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You may have noticed that my normal column in the Spire is titled “Between Here and There.” It’s just a small nod to the paths of life we walk in our shared and unique corners of the Kingdom. There’s lots of life between where we are and where we are headed! But, for these few paragraphs I’m going to set my focus a bit more precisely. I’d like to consider “Here.” Westminster. You likely know that I routinel…
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust In considering Proust’s idea, most of us would, rightfully, first think of our families and friends as those who make us happy. For Westminster members, that list may well include the staff members who help us, comfort us, and care for us throughout the year. Advent…
Whenever I read the word bounty, I recall each year during this season, my mom would take stock of the Mason jars of tomatoes – sauce, juice, and whole – she had “put up” from the summer garden. In a similar vein, my dad could recite the exact planting dates, rainfall amount, and seed varieties unique to the garden that year. Both Mom and Dad knew those jars contained far more than their individ…
While online shopping I saw “communion-thank you.” My curiosity got the better of me. What were they selling that fit into this category? Turns out they were marketing notecards for religious services. But Amazon was onto something; thanks and communion do go together. Communion has many names: the Lord’s Supper, the Last Supper, and the Eucharist, which comes from the Greek word eucharista, which…
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” – Mother Teresa, 1910 I’ve always found comfort in Mother Teresa’s quote. At the same time, I find Matthew 25:32-33 unsettling. Christ is clear throughout scripture that we are to love our neighbors, to reach out and care for one another. If I want to be a sheep, and I do, what does that look like? It seems overwhelming in the world we live in. Bu…
"Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude." – A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh One might wonder why generosity and gratefulness are not character traits that everyone is born with. Instead, they are character traits that are developed by those who are exposed to a solid foundation of good morals. Building these character t…
The last few years have been difficult ones for most of us, and we long to find solace. Music, especially in worship, helps from week to week. But in these fraught times we may need something both beautiful and new to our ears that will inspire us and bring us ever closer to God. What about a Requiem composed intentionally for the living as well as for the deceased? What about a text that asks…
“Pain, trouble, and disappointment drain us, but trusting God, focusing on him, and thanking him revitalize us. It’s his presence within us that renews us physically, spiritually, and emotionally so we can keep going.” – Dr. Charles Stanley Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 15 individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease arrive at the WROC for fitness class. The fellowship, support, and encourage…
