A couple of weeks ago, I preached a sermon where I quoted statistics about homelessness in our community: In the sermon, I talked about things that break our hearts. These statistics break my heart. After the sermon, one person came up to me and said “Pastor Todd, that sermon…those numbers…they make me really uncomfortable.” And … More The Uncomfortable Church
28 of us were driving up the North Carolina coast in two large vans. I was a youth minister and Habitat for Humanity was moving our youth group from one work Habitat site to another. Our two vans stopped at a drawbridge that had been raised to let a boat through…we were in a line of … More The Things That Unite
The first time I met Marlin, I was at Westhaven Children’s Home, outside of Montego Bay, in Jamaica. Westhaven is an orphanage for children with developmental disabilities. Our group was there to provide love and care for the kids, and to work on some physical projects at the orphanage to improve their quality of life. Because of … More When Your Heart Breaks
Dear friend, I hope you are having a great week, and are having lots of opportunities to get outside and enjoy the warm weather! I have exciting news! Peggy Moran will serve as the new director of the Trinity Preschool. Peggy has been a wonderful part of our preschool team for a number of years, … More Peggy Moran Called to Serve as Director of Trinity Preschool
So, what did you expect when you woke up this morning? What were your expectations for the day? Because we all have expectations, right? So you woke up on this Easter morning…what did you expect to see today? Maybe you expect to see family or friends who have traveled to be here…to celebrate together. Maybe you expected to step outside this … More Resurrection Moments
Last week, Lori and I flew to Copenhagen, Denmark to spend a few days with our youngest son, Sam, who has been studying there this semester. It was fun for us because A) we got to spend some time with Sam, and B) he had been living there for 12 weeks, so we had our … More Permanent
Pastor Amy Starr Redwine, a pastor in Richmond, Virginia, tells a story about a class she took while a student at the seminary. The class was called: Confession and Forgiveness from a Pastoral Perspective. Pastor Redwine wrote that the class was incredibly popular, and the 45 slots filled up as soon as registration opened. On the first … More Drawn into Community
I remember as a kid, on warm summer nights, my Dad would ask me if I wanted to go out and play catch. I know…cue the “Field of Dreams” soundtrack music here. As we’d throw the baseball back and forth, my Dad would constantly tell me, “keep your eye on the ball!” (Anyone else ever hear that … More Keep Your Eye on the Ball
The older I get; the faster time seems to move. Does it work that way for you? I mean really…today is Ash Wednesday, it’s already the beginning of Lent. Didn’t we just celebrate Christmas a couple of weeks ago? It sure feels that way. It makes sense when you think about it. When I was 10 years old, a year? It … More When Time Slows Down
Have you ever traveled somewhere new…somewhere different… maybe somewhere outside of your comfort zone? In 2015, I traveled to Wittenburg, Germany with a group of Lutheran pastors to experience the sites of Martin Luther and the reformation. Being there was amazing. The history…the architecture…the culture…I loved it. But at the same time, I felt, a lot, … More Crossing Borders
Test Driving Theology 