Recent Posts
We've Got Issues
After nine months of walking through the Bible, we’re turning a corner into how our Sunday morning summer worship services are structured. Of course, God’s Word is still going to be at the center of all things, but the way we enter into the Word is temporarily going to change.
We’re launching into a new series of messages for June and July called “We’ve Got Issues!”...
Farmers Market Give Away
During the Memorial Day Parade in Elmhurst on Monday, I was joyfully reminded of how much fun it is to give away other people’s stuff. I honestly think it’s one of my top spiritual gifts!
Let me explain…
As a contingent of market volunteers paraded our way through downtown Elmhurst, we passed out slips of paper with essential information about the upcoming Elmhurst Farmers Market to anyone who looked eager to receive it (a little bit of fun), as well as 4”x4” sponge-like squares embedded with wildflower seeds, making for a simple way to water, plant and enjoy the beauty. That part was SO MUCH FUN. And...
Memorial Day 2026 – Remember
The Memorial Day holiday encourages us to remember those who have fought and sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. I have quite a few family members who served in the military: my dad, uncles, grandfathers, and nephews. But to my knowledge, I don’t have any blood relatives who gave their lives in service to the United States of America. Because I don’t have a direct family or personal connection to honor on Memorial Day, on Monday I’m going to remember these words from Billy Graham (d. 2018) who reflected on his time with President Dwight Eisenhower in 1955...
Commencement
It’s officially graduation season! And with it comes a barrage of open houses, laughter, tears, well wishes and the mandatory commencement speeches. Having had family members (including myself!) tapped to give one of these speeches on occasion, I have an appreciation for what a challenge it is to say something significant, succinct, touching, and funny in 12 minutes or less over a crappy PA system in a gym or outdoor stadium! There are a million ways commencement speeches can go wrong, but when they go right they can be amazing!
Survey Says...
On the long-running TV game show, “The Family Feud,” teams answer survey-based questions in a competition to earn points. A typical round starts with a question like, “Name something that is deep fried.” As the contestants respond with answers like, “Chicken” “French Fries” and “Donuts” the survey board reveals rank-ordered results of how successful they were at guessing what the majority of Americans had to say. (French Fries would be the #1 answer to the deep-fried question, by the way!)
We’re at a moment in our family life at Elmhurst CRC where we’re taking our own survey – not to start a feud or score points – but to help illuminate where God is leading us in the upcoming years...
“May”hem (and the Gift of Limits)
May is the busiest month of the year for most of us living in the burbs of Chicago: there’s the end-of-school-year rush, graduation parties, sports, college decisions, concerts etc… I’ve heard this phenomenon described as "May Madness" or "Mayhem*," or around ECRC I’ve even heard “Maycember” in reference to the other busiest month of the year around church.