Ponderings of the General Presbyter of the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley and an introduction to our new columnist! April 8, 2024  Greetings of joy in this Eastertide! I am pleased to let you know that starting today, our stated
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March 25, 2024   Friends, With palms waving and the people crying “Hosanna” (God save now!) we have entered Holy Week. Many preachers I know read the whole palm/passion narrative on Palm Sunday noting that if they don’t, most of
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March 18, 2024 Dear friends, Today begins the holy month of Ramadan for Muslim people. It had been hoped that today would also be the beginning of a six-week ceasefire in Gaza. The cease-fire was envisioned as a period of
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February 28, 2024   We have just observed the second Sunday of the season of Lent. On the sign board outside Brown Memorial in Tuscaloosa is the message: “Lent – Spiritual Spring Cleaning.” So many of our churches are offering
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January 30, 2024   Greetings, friends, As you know, the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley is part of the PCUSA’s Matthew 25 initiative. As of today 1,180 congregations have embraced the vision. In addition, 96 mid councils, and 66 groups
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January 15, 2024  New Year’s greetings to you as we move into 2024! May God grant us in this new year grace, courage, and purpose for the sake of Christ’s kindom and our own soul’s sake.  As you receive this
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December 11, 2023     Hail, favored Ones!   Many of our congregations are using the Advent resource from A Sanctified Art. Its theme this year is “How Does a Weary World Rejoice?” taken from the line in O Holy
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October 30, 2023    Yesterday, on Reformation Sunday, I had the honor and joy of participating in the 135th Anniversary celebration for South Highland Presbyterian Church (Birmingham). It was a beautiful worship service with glorious music, a stirring sermon by
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September 18, 2023 Greetings, friends,   I love the energy and opportunities that fall brings with it for deepening our discipleship. New classes are being offered. New small groups are organized. New sermon series started. It is a time for
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