The Pastor's Page for Nov. 2, 2008 An Historic Election
It is as though I can hear our ancestors stirring, sitting on the edges of their heavenly berths, looking down, and saying, “so be it.”
So be it that we dared to learn to read and write and get to know for ourselves what our rights were. So be it that we didn’t listen to people who told us we were too stupid, too dumb, to learn anything. We did it. We taught ourselves. And it has finally paid off.
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The Pastor's Page for July 2008: Payday Lending
I am trying to figure it out.
There was an article in The Columbus Dispatch on Monday of this week, explaining legislators’ dilemma in dealing with payday lending.
They are asking themselves whether it is a trap or a service.
To me, it’s a no brainer
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The Pastor's Page for June 2008: A Tribute to Fathers
Let me be the one of the first to say to all of the fathers at Advent United Church of Christ that I love you for what you do and for who you are.
Much is made of the importance of mothers, and, of course, that’s a reality, but not as much is made of the importance of fathers, and that is a travesty.
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The Pastor's Page for Dec. 30 2007: Mandated Sentencing
Last week in my sermon, I said that the only United States Supreme Court Justice who voted against fixing the disparity in sentencing between cocaine and crack cocaine sentencing was Clarence Thomas.
I was wrong. There were two: Judge Samuel Alito and Judge Thomas.
But what wasn’t wrong with what I said is that Clarence Thomas is no help to or for African Americans.
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The Pastor's Page for Dec. 31, 2006: On Choices
There is a commercial on television that I really love.
It has women saying how they choose to live or die. One woman says she chooses to die while laughing. Another says she chooses to die of old age. Still another says she chooses to die while watching a sunset. But what they all say is that they REFUSE to die of breast cancer.
I love that commercial because it talks about the choices that all of us have. We seldom think of the choices we make, and how powerful they are, but we do have choices and the choices we have made in the past or even as close as today are impacting us as we sit here today.
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The Pastor's Page for Oct. 23, 2006: Bishop Carlton Pearson
Last week, we had as a guest Bishop Carlton Pearson. In case you don’t know it, it was a risky thing for us to do; the bishop has been excommunicated from his denomination because of his theology, the so-called, ”Gospel of Inclusion.” He was not scheduled to come here; he was invited to another church but the higher-ups of that denomination were pressured into withdrawing the invitation. I knew of the bishop from when I was doing talk radio here in Columbus, and I interviewed him. I was actually fired the day I interviewed him.
So, when the original invitation by the other church was withdrawn, and Bishop Pearson had a non-refundable ticket, I was asked if I’d mind if he came here. I didn’t. I don’t believe in running away from controversy, and I know you are intelligent enough to listen to people and make your own decisions. I think doing that is a lot better than basing your opinion of someone on what you’ve heard he or she stands for.
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The Pastor's Page for December 2004: A Time to Celebrate
To every Thing, there is a season, the Bible says.
A time to heal, a time to learn, a time to reflect and celebrate, and this is our day to celebrate being a church for 28 years.
Advent United Church of Christ has come a long way. When I came here, it was rumored that this church was not going to make it. In fact, I was advised not to come here, because it was going to close …
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The Pastor's Page for Dec. 28, 2003: Write Down your Vision
You made it! The end of the year is here, and you made it. God be praised!
Through illness and financial hardship, you made it. Through misunderstandings and broken relationships, you made it. Through depression and anxiety, you made it. And guess what? Because you made it you are NOT the same person you were at the beginning of the year.
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The Pastor's Page for Oct. 23, 2003: Lionel Tate
Matthew 28:19 says it: “Go.” Go and make disciples of all men …
Being in the Kingdom means we come to a location to get fed and strengthened, and then, as the Word clearly says, we “go” out to help spread the word to others.
In my heart, I feel there’s a need for us to “go” and help a young man named Lionel Tate.