Making Church Matter

Christmas Eve 2013

Nine years ago we did something unexpected and, to many, unwelcome. We moved Christmas off campus. We decided to end the annual exercise in dysfunction and disappointment that was our Christmas Eve. The plan was to relocate our celebration in a setting that could accommodate our parishioners and allow us to welcome the visitors and […]

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Scripture

Patience & Complaint

Be patient. James 5.7 Patience is the virtue held high esteem in virtually every religious tradition: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. And it is a key characteristic of holding and having hope. It is about: –       accepting delay peacefully –       remaining calm through disappointments –       not getting annoyed with distractions –       not getting angry […]

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Scripture

The Bond of Acceptance and Hope

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to building him up. Romans 15.1 Instead of getting annoyed or angry with other people’s faults and failures, the Bible says we ought to bear them, and build them […]

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Scripture

Hope

I remember back before we started going to the fairgrounds for Christmas Eve we would try and have it at church. And everybody came to the early Mass and it was overwhelming and chaotic and it was a horrible experience. And then everybody would rush out as soon as communion was over. Side note: Some […]

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