One of the gifts of traveling is how it widens our perspective. Traveling with family this week, we had the chance to visit churches that range from medieval stone sanctuaries to modern, light-filled spaces. Despite their differences, there is one feature they all share: the baptismal font. Sometimes it stands at the entrance, sometimes near […]
God Loves Hugs Christmas Story 2025 It was a tradition in the church that I grew up in for the pastor to tell a story on Christmas Eve. In that spirit I’d like to share a story with you that I wrote a long time ago when my kids where little. It’s based loosely on […]
Dear friends, Christmas is not a single day on the calendar but a season that unfolds, and this Sunday we arrive at one of its great turning points: Epiphany. The word Epiphany means “appearance” or “manifestation.” Around the world, Christians celebrate it on January 6, twelve days after Christmas Day. In many countries it is […]
This ancient Christian greeting echoes across centuries, reminding us that Christmas is not a moment to rush past, but a mystery to dwell within. As early as 567 A.D., the church formally set aside the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany as a sacred and festive season. Advent was understood as a time of fasting […]
Love in the Midst of Fear Matthew 1:18-25, Isaiah 41:5-10 Of all of the characters in the Christmas story, Joseph is probably the most overlooked. He is mute in our scriptures. He never utters a word. So it is helpful to imagine what he might say and to contemplate how he might have felt. The […]
