Published by Bill on 30 Jul 2010
Why We Don’t Give Up
These are the final few hours of my week in Brazil and after a great lunchtime churasco (the Brazilian way a grilling meat that is unmatched anywhere else), people are resting and enjoying the mid-winter day. Puffy clouds in the sky, temperature in the 70’s and noisy parrots flying from palm tree to palm tree. I could get used to this. Continue Reading »
Published by Bill on 22 Jul 2010
Thou Preparest a Table Before – Musings at 35,000 Feet
This week’s edition of the E-pistle comes to you a bit early as I am on my way south – to Brazil and to the 70-degree weather of mid-winter in the Brazilian highlands. I will be spending the week with friends in Belo Horizonte, a city of about 3 million 200 miles north of Rio de Janeiro. But right now I am at 35,000 feet somewhere between Philadelphia and Miami where I will have an eight-hour layover before my eight and a half hour flight to Belo Horizonte. Continue Reading »
Published by Bill on 16 Jul 2010
High Seas Expedition: A long way from the beer hall. Or maybe not.
I can hardly wait for Monday morning. That’s when the latest edition of an LPC Vacation Bible School begins. This year’s theme is High Seas Expedition. The program begins at 9:30, but the first leaders will arrive much earlier and by 9:00 the church building will be full of activity as team leaders and teachers are putting last minute touches on lesson plans and activities. And then there’s the sanctuary where all the kids gather daily for the opening and closing of VBS and where each class grouping comes for song and skit at some point during the morning. Thanks to the Cook family for once again transforming the chancel, this year into a high seas expedition. I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen to the room after worship on Sunday!
If you are able, and not one of the many who will be serving this year, think about dropping by the church, say at 9:30 or noon, to get a feel for all that’s happening. Continue Reading »
Published by Bill on 09 Jul 2010
LeBron James and Christian Discipleship
For those living on another planet: LeBron James is a basketball player. He is 25 years old and for the past six years, since his graduation from high school in Akron, Ohio, he has played for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Between his contract with the Cavaliers and endorsements for the likes of Nike, he has earned hundreds of millions of dollars.
LeBron has been a remarkable player for the Cavaliers. His all-star and MVP awards are too many to count. His team has become a contender and a bright spot in an otherwise dismal city. But the Cavaliers have not won an NBA title even with LeBron James in the line-up. Continue Reading »
Published by Bill on 02 Jul 2010
Life, Liberty and a 911 Carrera
In an opening prologue to worship this Sunday, Ebenezer Diabene, LPC’s newest American citizen, will read a portion of the Declaration of Independence. Among the words Ebenezer will say are these, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Continue Reading »