Several years ago I visited the ruins of Ephesus on a trip “in the footsteps of Paul.” This location, where both the Apostles Paul and John lived, worked and taught, was at one time “an emporium that had few equals in the world” (NIV Introduction to Ephesians). It was the home of the temple of […]
Jane’s Blog – We are Here, Part 4
I enjoyed reading Psalm 1 responsively this past Sunday, didn’t you? This psalm speaks to me…for lots of reasons, but today when I re-read it, I sensed these questions: What is the counsel of the wicked (vs. 1)? What does it look like? Counsel, of course, can be very beneficial if it includes a mutual […]
Jane’s Blog – Holy Habits, Part 3a, Fellowship and Community Life
If you stop by the Connect Kiosk this Sunday in the Fellowship Hall you’ll notice that my display of artistic elements has changed from Stewardship to Fellowship and Community Life. November easily speaks to these two Holy Habits, doesn’t it? But for me, it takes the prize as my favorite month of the year, first, […]
Jane’s Blog – We are Here, Part 3
Sometimes spending time with one’s grandchildren just has to be put before writing a blog, you know? That was the case for me last week when my daughter and her family flew in from Chicago for the week. But here’s the truth of the matter: she came with computer in hand, wrote and posted her […]
Jane’s Blog – Holy Habits, Part 2c, The Widow’s Offering
Did you know that Jesus had more to say about money than prayer? Take, for example, the story of “The Widow’s Offering.” Found in both the Gospel of Mark (Mark 12:41-44) and again in Luke (Luke 21:1-4), Jesus tells us of a widow whose temple treasury offering blessed him so much that it was worthy […]
Jane’s Blog – We are Here, Part 1
“The culture needs us (the church) now more than ever,” Pastor Sean told us on Sunday, and from what I’ve been reading lately about the Millennial Generation, that is certainly true. There’s every indication that the children born in the 1980’s and 1990’s are “reshaping schools, colleges and businesses all over the country” (Generation Me […]
Jane’s Blog – Holy Habits, Part 2b, The Rich Fool
If you’ve been by PLC’s Connect Kiosk recently you’ve seen our display of “barn” art, piggy banks (Thanks, Thrivent!), and a beautiful, large nature scene painted by our Alpha Administrator Dana Kloo. Each piece is meant to challenge us to go deeper in our thinking about the Holy Habit of “Stewardship.” Did you know that […]
Jane’s Blog – Search and Rescue, Part 3
Last week I mentioned how deeply I’m touched by the intensity of the search by God for the lost sheep and coin (in other words, us sinners). But in the story that our Youth Director Danny Scarbrough related this week – The Parable of the Lost Son – we see God waiting and watching. He’s […]
Jane’s Blog – Holy Habits, Part 2a, The Rich Fool
October is the month when farmers are out in their fields from dawn to dusk harvesting their crops. In the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21), Jesus tells us of a rich man whose field produced a bumper crop. But first, there’s a question by “someone in the crowd” that prompts Jesus to tell […]
Jane’s Blog – Search and Rescue, Part 2
Pastor Rob gave us a serious challenge on Sunday, didn’t he, when he unpacked the stories of the lost sheep and the lost coin? I couldn’t help but be convicted when he spoke of taking a well-known Bible story (Luke 15:1-10) and digging deeper to find its application for our lives. I know some people […]