After a long and faithful life of preaching, teaching, and pastoring in Cambridge, England, Charles Simeon died on November 13, 1836. As he lay dying, a friend who visited him asked his thoughts as he lingered between time and eternity. Simeon responded only this: “I don’t think now; I am enjoying.” Though they sound more…
Clergy Political Activism: When should we get involved?
Churches and clergy are supposed to be politically non-partisan. Sometimes clergy are able to participate in politics as individuals (such as voting), but for the most part, they are to refrain from partisan politics. We serve the King of Kings, and represent his Church, not a particular party. Our mission and calling is to proclaim…
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers…
I’m here again…in not-so-sunny Florida for another session with this group. This time, it will be only a day for me. I have a commitment that has crowded by schedule. But I am re-posting my article from last year about the “Band of Brothers” I have met with for 30 years! In just a few…
A Year of First Blessings
So, you now know the origin of this blog title: First Blessing. It is also traditional that first blessings are too special to be restricted to one day; the new priest gives first blessings for an entire year. So, I have set my heart and hand to writing these public reflections of the life of…
We Can’t Do it
In the 17th century, pastor and poet George Herbert wrote the book The Country Parson, one of the first manuals for pastors written in English. He starts his book by acknowledging that he feels inadequate: the way to please [God], is to feed my Flock diligently and faithfully, since our Savior has made that the…
The Funeral: Pastoring in the time of Mourning
A funeral is one of the most difficult things anyone may ever have to do. Even as “professionals,” it is often difficult to know what to do or what to say. Often we may not even know the deceased that well. They may have been a family member of a parishioner, or they may have attended our church…
Want Your Church to Grow?
So you want your church to grow, do you? Listen, I get it, every pastor wants their church to grow. And it’s not just selfish ambition, although there will always be some of that. On our best days, we know the hard work we put into preaching and pastoral care, in equipping our people to…
What Do I Call You?
“What do I call you?” the bank teller asked as we conducted a routine financial transaction—a question prompted by the collar I was wearing. “I am an Anglican priest. Sometimes we are called Father and sometimes simply by first name. Whichever you please is fine.” A Title is an Identity with Jesus Christ What I…
Five Big Mistakes I’ve Made in Preaching
I’m not the best preacher, but after 18 years of preaching, I’ve learned a great deal from my own mistakes. To spare you, I’ve listed some of the biggest ones here. Not Believing in Preaching Itself I hope we all share a belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Believe it, and always preach it….
Herding Cats
Comedians often use humor as social commentary. A joke can slip through our defenses, expose our hidden hypocrisy, question our cherished beliefs, scrutinize our preconceived notions, and all this while making us laugh at ourselves. Such jokes are nearer parables than we often realize. They are humorous precisely because we recognize some grain of truth…
