Recent Posts
Celebrate Good Times, Come on! Part I
Celebrate Good Times, Come on! Part I The most striking feature about the Elmhurst CRC building is the physical image of “open arms” extending out...
Remember Who Sacrificed
The Memorial Day holiday encourages us to remember those who have fought and sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy. It’s easy for me to forget my own family members who have served in the armed forces:
My grandfather in WWI
My father in post-WWII Germany
An uncle who was shot on Iwo Jima, another uncle who who died while piloting a plane
A nephew who went to West Point, another who served in the Navy on Okinawa
Perhaps you, too, have family members who have served, sacrificed, or even given their lives in service to our country...
Springing into Life - New Hire Coming to Elmhurst CRC
Elmhurst CRC is committed to growing believers in three directions: upward toward God, inward in Christian community, and outward in Gospel service to the world.
While we are currently led so strongly and well by Pastor Jeff and Erin Pacheco (outward and upward, respectively), the absence of a gifted leader to guide the inward, community part of church life has grown increasingly apparent in recent years. The consequences of failing to live into this third direction of the vision can be spiritually devastating. We can so easily become:..
Roll Tide… Eastertide, that is
I’ve spent some time on the campus of the University of Alabama. No matter where I’ve gone in the city of Tuscaloosa, I’ve been greeted with, “Roll Tide.” On campus at the bookstore, “Roll Tide.” Enter the dorm for a tour, “Roll Tide.” Grab a bite at the local Chick-Fil-A, “Roll Tide.” The enthusiasm and consistency of this greeting made a winning impression.
Tides are a powerful force – the alternate rising and falling of the surface of the ocean in relation to the turning of the earth and the gravitational pull of the moon. I think this tidal power is why folks in central Alabama have made “Roll Tide” more common than “Hello.”
Walking Through Holy Week
We’re about to begin Holy Week, the seven days that lead up to the greatest moment of all, Easter Sunday. To fully embrace the size and scope of Jesus’s victory and its consequences for our salvation, I want to invite you to consider dedicating part of your life next week to paying special attention to Jesus: his words, but most importantly, his actions for us.
There is great spiritual power and benefit simply in watching Jesus, remembering, and believing.
Holy Week is not about scoring bonus points with God through merely attending some extra services or doing a little more Bible reading than usual. No, it’s about giving the gift of our attention and affection to Jesus when it matters most.
Daffodils
Among my favorite plants is the humble daffodil. The daffodil only blooms for a few weeks in early spring, but what they lack in longevity is made up for by boldly being the first real flower to emerge each year. In England, daffodils are known as the “Lent Lily” which is a lovely way of implying the foretaste of resurrection life and color that are right around the corner.
We don’t know if Jesus had a favorite flower, but I like to think that he, too, would’ve had a soft spot for the daffodil.