Recent Posts
The Forest for the Tress
There’s an old saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” I never quite understood what this meant when I was a kid, but it dawned on me in early adulthood that I was frequently getting bogged down in the details (of a piece of music in particular), that I’d end up missing the meaning and significance of the bigger picture, or the larger artistic message. Perhaps I’m not alone in this struggle.
When it comes to the Bible, it’s oh-so-easy to spiritually miss the forest (God’s main message) for the trees (the oddities and intricacies of the thousands of stories and passages in Scripture). Rest assured, our pastors and Elders are well aware of this spiritual pitfall and are purposefully leading our congregation to a fresh, wide angle view of God’s mighty forest.
Fall Curriculum
The school year is suddenly upon us! It’s a season to grow and learn—for all of us, not just the kids. It's the growing season for all of us who are students in God’s school. Perhaps you’re like me and realize that you’ve still got an awful lot to learn as an apprentice of Jesus. Yes, Jesus is our Lord and Savior. And he’s also our Teacher, Guide, Master, and Instructor. Jesus' favored method of instruction typically utilizes his go-to book, the Bible, to help us learn and grow. More than 500 years ago, a Pastor named John Calvin put it very simply, “Scripture is the curriculum of the Holy Spirit for us.”
Matters of Life and Death
My extended family has a saying, typically used when someone needs to calm down during an anxious moment: “It’s not a matter of life and death, is it?” Typically, the calmest person in the room intones these words in the direction of somebody who’s struggling to keep it together - it rarely helps! In my own internal dialogue, this mantra still occasionally breaks through as a way to slow down and stay grounded. But, every now and again, things really are a matter of life and death. What then? Is it time to freak out, spiral down, totally lose it for a little bit?!
L’Chaim - To Life!
Every culture around the world has a catchphrase to share while raising a glass in celebration. In the English-speaking world, we typically go with “Cheers.” More common in Europe is some version of “to your health.” "Salud" in Spanish or "Sláinte" in Gaelic mean exactly that. But the best toast of all is the ancient Hebrew one, L’Chaim or “To Life!” If you’ve never witnessed a Jewish round of toasts, I highly recommend the engagement party scene from Fiddler on the Roof in which L’Chaim is musically bandied about for nearly five minutes.
The Hive is Humming & Welcome Jason Turner
Summer is here and although things begin to slow down around the suburbs of Chicago, Elmhurst CRC is still a hive of activity! This week, we saw some long-term results of our collective labor come to beautiful fruition. First, the launch of the Elmhurst Farmers Market happened on Wednesday despite a bit of rain, wind, and cooler weather. There was so much fresh, delicious food to eat onsite and take home for dinner.
Second, I’m ecstatic to share that our search for a full-time Director of Congregational Engagement has resulted in hiring Rev. Jason Turner to lead this critical part of church’s life and ministry.
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...