Sermon: Find the Meeting Places

"Find the Meeting Places" (January 17, 2016) Jesus calls the disciples to step out of their comfort zones, yes, but not to do something totally alien to them-- for a group of people who know fishing, he invites them to fish for people. When God calls us, it's usually to use gifts that we already have,…

Sermon: Your Call Cannot Be Completed as Dialed

"Your Call Cannot Be Completed as Dialed" (January 25, 2015) Sometimes, God calls us to our vocation with a fancy, funny, unavoidable moment; other times, with the long, slow, persistence throughout our lives. I tell the stories of my call from God, and invite us hear a call in all our stories. The real fun…

Reflections on “Pastor’s 24”

Yesterday I joined 71 other pastors in a twitter project called Pastor's 24. It was a project suggested by my friend, colleague in ministry, and cohort in online Methodist geekdom (as of this writing, we are both featured in the blog section at umc.org, as we attempt to subvert the church with our newfangled communication…

Sometimes God speaks by slapping you upside the head.

When I wrote earlier about hearing the call to ministry, a few people asked about the specific moment itself. I tend not to talk about it too much, not only because people look at you funny if you say you hear voices in your head, but because sometimes it's discouraging to people who don't have…

Hearing the call

The hardest part of discerning a call to ministry for me was believing it was possible. I was raised by parents who told me I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, so it wasn't that I didn't think the sky was the limit. And yes, I was Roman Catholic, and so I'd…

Sermon: What do you Know?

"What do you Know?" (January 25, 2009) When Jesus calls the disciples, he calls them to what they know--fishing--but applied in a new way for God's work in the world. So it is with us; God calls us through the gifts and passions and blessings we have. I share my own call story as an…