Almost everyone knows what it's like to prepare for a house sitter. Although “The List” is probably more often sent via email or text, I still remember taking care of a neighbors' houses or apartments in the days when one would walk into the kitchen and find on the counter several sheets of paper delineating the tasks: take in mail, water plants, how to run appliances (often with detailed descriptions of the workarounds for loose knobs and latches, leaks, balky locks, etc), take out and bring in garbage cans. And so on.
Read MoreThank you to the MBPPC Session members, and everyone who made our Pentecost Appreciation Sunday an inspiring time. I am always amused and grateful to watch the pews empty out as we call forward people who have been the leaders and drivers of our various ministries and mission work. Truly, we are the body of Christ as we share the ministry together.
Read MoreThis Sunday, June 8th, is the Day of Pentecost. Pentecost is the celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit and the founding of the Christian Church. That description may sound rather dry and abstract to you. So, here is how I have always regarded Pentecost:
Read MoreSo often the opportunity to love one’s neighbor comes unexpectedly and from an unanticipated direction.
We at MBPPC are being given an opportunity to love neighbor by helping a young Egyptian college student and her mother. The student has just finished her sophomore year at Whitworth College and is in Seattle until June 28th, participating in a skills workshop for blind people (she was born blind). Her mother has traveled here to help her since neither of them have ever spent time in a large US city.
Read MoreIn last Sunday’s sermon I spoke about the three classical methods of Bible interpretation. These three methods have been used for centuries, and are easily applied by any reader of Scripture.
The first method is using Scripture to interpret Scripture. This means that, when you are reading the Bible and come upon a passage that is confusing, seemingly contradictory of another passage, inspiring, or even offensive, you can look elsewhere in Scripture for greater understanding
Read MoreIn last Sunday’s sermon I mentioned that I would follow up on two things. Here they are:
I mentioned a podcast called “For Heaven’s Sake”, co-hosted by a man named Donniel Hartmann and Yossi Klein Halevi. I met Yossi Klein Halevi in 2005, here in Seattle, when I was working to persuade the Presbyterian Church (USA) to replace a plan to divest from companies that have contracts with the State of Israel with a plan to shift investments to joint Jewish-Arab nonprofits that are trying to improve water management (a life-and-death issue in a place where potable water is growing ever more scarce.
Read MoreIf you are interested in learning more about the pastoral transition process, and (if you are an active congregation member) voting for Session leadership that will extend through the transition, then please attend this Sunday’s congregational meeting after worship.
There are two items on the meeting agenda:
Read MoreHere are two very timely ways we can provide ministry to and with children:
This Sunday is Palm Sunday. Every Palm Sunday we provide children with palms to wave as we process in during the Hymn of Praise. Please bring your children, grandchildren, and their friends to help celebrate!
Read MoreAnd here comes Easter Sunday on April 20th. In my Year of Lasts, this is the last Easter Sunday I will celebrate as Pastor at MBPPC. It’s a funny thing — one might expect me to feel sad or nostalgic. But what I am feeling as Easter Sunday, 2025, approaches is joyful. The approach of my last Easter Sunday at MBPPC feels similar to how I felt as my last Christmas Eve did.
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