The first day of spring, and I know what to expect, at least for a while: the first herald of coming color is the tiny crocus (already arrived).  Soon after come the daffodils.  Tulips follow them.  And then the PJM rhododendrons break out with loud purple voice.  Then…?  Well, my recall of the blooming sequence… Continue Reading →

This series was conceived one day while walking to my house from 23 Chapel along the south side of the Charles.  Actually a series wasn’t part of the original idea.  The plan was to write just one e-mail in which, following Augustine’s lead in The City of God, I would interpret the present day hardship as having three distinct… Continue Reading →

Review As the child of God stands in the nexus of Fatherly discipline and new creation birth pangs, what are His instructions?  What’s a worshiper-in-progress to do?  Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of… Continue Reading →

God is faithful to His children in every generation, which is why in every era the Church can expect to undergo the Heavenly Father’s discipline.  By its very nature, discipline is “painful rather than pleasant,” (Hebrews 12: 11) but our loving Father turns His pressure and pain to a good end: “that we may share his holiness” (Heb… Continue Reading →

While it’s true we haven’t been given theological data to understand exactly why this is happening now, we should be sufficiently “steeped in God reality” to perceive at least some general meaning: Then [Jesus] turned to the crowd: “When you see clouds coming in from the west, you say, ‘Storm’s coming’—and you’re right. And when… Continue Reading →

The Presence of God makes everything a lot more interesting.  Because He is here, the typical assumptions need to be set aside.  “Tremble O earth at the Presence of God…who turns the rock into a pool of water/ the flint into a spring of water.” (Psalm 114:8) Rock into water!  At one moment with dry mouths and chapped… Continue Reading →

Review: For those outside of Christ, all kinds/sizes of misfortunes should be interpreted as precursors of the coming Day of God’s Anger.  They function as warning signs to dissuade people from continuing down their current path.  GET OFF.  TURN AROUND.  REPENT. Even as the people of God are experiencing the same trials alongside those who… Continue Reading →

My Dear Friends,                                                                                June 2021 This will be my last contribution to the EBC monthly newsletter.  6 June will be our last Sunday at EBC; sometime during that next week we’ll be driving on I-90 West en route to Colorado.   At this juncture, my heart is mixed with gratitude and sorrow.  And yes, some regret too.  I’ve made mistakes big and… Continue Reading →