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Essay

Essay

Now Just Listen to That!

Thanks to a minister father who was also pianistically trained, I grew up in a home that was blessedly alive with music, not only with his own playing—did he ever leave for church and pulpit without running through a Bach-harmonized…
November 11, 2020
Essay

My Fifteen Minutes of Fame

In October, I experienced “fifteen minutes of fame.” I left a kind and generous congregation to use what little voice I had against American evangelicalism’s zealous obsession with Donald Trump and its willful abandonment of the agenda of Christ and…
November 10, 2020
Essay

The Thanksgiving Dilemma

A friend asked on Facebook: “Anyone else thrilled to cancel Thanksgiving, thanks to COVID? It’s the most physically exhausting, emotionally draining, politically fractious, whiplash-scheduled holiday, not to mention driving through the deer-infested dark in blizzard conditions to eat the blandest…
November 9, 2020
Essay

The Sabbath, Work, and Refreshment

Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD…It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD…
November 8, 2020
Essay

And then…

Recently, I’ve had several conversations with friends who I hadn’t heard from in quite some time. As you would expect, there were all sorts of stories to share. Some started us laughing, some quieted us after a deep sigh. Some…
November 7, 2020
Essay

Trying Not to Be Political

"I have to go upstairs and write a blog," I said to my wife. "Whoa, wait. What are you going to write about?" She asked, as if I've ever written anything controversial. "You're not writing about politics," she said as…
November 6, 2020
Essay

Prayers of the Saints

Here’s a conversation I had on Monday.Me: “I have to write my blog yet this week.”Friend: “What are you going to write about?”Me: “No idea. I feel like I have to wait to see where things are…who knows what we’ll…
November 5, 2020
Essay

What’s Next

It is the day after the US presidential election. Votes have been cast. The polls have closed.At the time of writing, the results remain uncertain. We won’t know with any clarity until later in the week, perhaps later in the…
November 4, 2020
Essay

Moving toward Hope

A couple or so weeks ago I realized with somewhat of a sinking sensation that I would be slated to blog here on The Twelve on the U.S. election day.   The sinking feeling part may not have been warranted.  I…
November 3, 2020
Essay

A Tale of Andrew Johnson

The oft quoted and misquoted aphorisms about being doomed to repeat history have always confused me. History exists, as do similarities and differences with the past, regardless of what the current population “knows.” Also, since when are all similarities or…
November 2, 2020