Pastor’s Blog (Page 5)

At the start of a new year, I often find myself praying about both where we’ve been and where God may be calling us next. Like many pastors, I pay attention to national trends in church life, not because we’re trying to follow the crowd, but because patterns in the wider Church often help us see ourselves more clearly.  One of the voices I return to each year is Carey Nieuwhof, a Canadian church leader and writer who does an excellent job curating trends, particularly around church leadership, digital culture, and generational shifts. And every year, I’m struck by how closely the data tracks with our local experience here in Geneva. So, what might 2026 hold for churchesRead More →

As 2025 comes to a close, it feels right to pause not to measure success, but to remember. To notice where God showed up among us. To listen again for how Jesus shaped us, stretched us, and stayed with us, guided by the quiet, persistent work of the Holy Spirit. If I had to name this year with one phrase, I think it would be this: we spent the year with Jesus and we trusted the Spirit to lead us along the way. From Advent through Pentecost, our worship life intentionally lingered with Jesus. We stayed close to his birth and early life, his ministryRead More →

As 2025 comes to a close, it feels right to pause not to measure success, but to remember. To notice where God showed up among us. To listen again for how Jesus shaped us, stretched us, and stayed with us, guided by the quiet, persistent work of the Holy Spirit.  If I had to name this year with one phrase, I think it would be this: we spent the year with Jesus and we trusted the Spirit to lead us along the way.  From Advent through Pentecost, our worship life intentionally lingered with Jesus. We stayed close to his birth and early life, his ministry and teachings, his confrontationRead More →

It’s a question that haunts even the best gift-givers this time of year: What do you get for the person who has everything?  We all know someone like that. Maybe they’re retired and downsized, or maybe they just don’t want more stuff. I kinda feel that way myself. And yet, there’s something deep inside us that still wants to give, though, right? Giving gifts are opportunities to connect, to bless, to offer something meaningful.  Of course, that’s what makes the holidays so special. They’re not just about things wrapped up. It’s a season about the kind of gifts that don’t show up on store shelvesRead More →

Sometime between the last slice of pumpkin pie and the long drive home, the world finally, fully shifts. Thanksgiving ends, December presses close, and suddenly we find ourselves standing on the doorstep of Advent again. As you read this, our church is preparing to go through the same transition many of us are making at home. Fall colors are being boxed up. Greens, ribbons, Chrismons, angels, candles, and the first hints of Christmas light are appearing. Volunteers (the unsung saints of the season!) are transforming our space so that when we walk in on Sunday, it feels like the promise of Advent has already begunRead More →

I want to share something that’s been taking shape in the background at church. A small team of leaders has formed a Church Safety Task Force to take a fresh, comprehensive look at how we keep our congregation safe. This group is focusing on four key areas: medical emergencies, severe weather, fire, and threats of violence. Over the years, we’ve written safety plans, filed them away neatly, and hoped we’d never need them. But plans aren’t helpful unless we know them, practice them, and keep them fresh. I know it can be uncomfortable to talk about these things. None of us like imagining worst-case scenariosRead More →