Pastor’s Blog

Once common phrase that didn’t make this sermon series is, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” And like ‘Everything Happens For A Reason’ and the other colloquialisms in this sermon series, “Cleanliness is next to godliness’ is at best, only half true. We can thank our very own John Wesley, who delivered a 1791 sermon titled “On Dress” in which he says: “But, before we enter on the subject, let it be observed, that slovenliness is no part of religion; that neither this, nor any text of Scripture, condemns neatness of apparel. Certainly, this is a duty, not a sin. Cleanliness is, indeed, next to godliness.”Read More →

Several years ago,Rolland Lang did some research down at the Geneva History Museum about our church and unearthed this photo. It is the earliest photo we have of Methodists in Geneva dating to around 1839, when the first Methodist class started in Geneva with two women and one man. Next week, on Sept 27th, we will mark 149 years of Methodism at the corner of 2nd and Hamilton Streets and 184 years of Methodists in Geneva, and I keep thinking about the faith, perseverance, sacrifice, and leadership of these women (and surely some men too), who by faithfulness gave the Methodist movement roots in Geneva.Read More →

As this is being published, I’ll be packing the car with gear, books, my favorite Bible, good old paper and pen and my laptop to spend a week in the southern Rocky Mountains, for my worship planning retreat. I’ll be praying and studying over the info many have shared while talking it over with one of my best friends, Matt, who is a UMC Pastor in Nebraska. He is joining me on this retreat and engaged in the same process of planning for his church in 2024. Being a 15-minute drive from reliable cell phone service and 25-minutes from the internet at an 8,000 feetRead More →

This coming Sunday I’ll begin a series on discovering the call to justice from the prophet Isaiah called, The Shout! The titles and theme of this series comes from a book and study by Rev. Hannah Adair Bonnier called ‘The Shout, Finding the Prophetic Voice in Unexcepted Places’ which came into being after the death of Sandra Bland in 2015. To begin to talk about where we find justice (or its absence) we have to know what justice is. My sermon this Sunday will feature this video as an introduction to the biblical understanding of justice from The Bible Project. The operating definition form theRead More →

Effective July 1, 2023, Bishop Dan Schwerin has set my appointment to The United Methodist Church of Geneva, marking my third appointment as your Senior Pastor after having four appoints as your Associate Pastor.  I am so proud to be pastoring UMCG! We recently welcomed three new members, had the most successful Swedish Days booth for missions – ever, and held our first Tri-Cities Vacation Bible School! This happened all amid the hard work of saying goodbye to Pastor Lisa and her family and starting to conceive of a new leadership in ministry as we move to one pastor and start a new position withRead More →

Or maybe the stinging criticism is “Clearly, you Methodists haven’t read the Bible.” “Don’t you listen to God’s word — the Bible clearly states…!” On average, I receive a comment like this about once a month. At first, I’d get defensive. Afterall, I’ve spent $100,000 of my own money and seven years of my life to study the Bible as a pastor. I’ve been taught to read it since I learned to read. I read two to four passages of the Bible for my personal devotions before the sun rises every day. I probably spend six hours a week studying the Bible in preparation forRead More →