“Self-justification is the heavy burden because there is no end to carrying it; there will always be some new situation where we need to establish our position and dig a trench for the ego to defend.”  (Rowan Williams)

Our country is desperately in need of churches that have a compelling mission. This need is even more obvious after yesterday’s shooting at a baseball practice of Republican congressman who were practicing for today’s charitable game between Republicans and Democrats.

Last week a member of a neighboring congregation, who drives by our digital sign on a regular basis, left a voicemail saying, “I hope you never take down the message ‘God loves you—no exceptions!’”

My first reaction to a barren time is usually to whine and groan about the unfairness and unpleasantness of it all. But what if I could begin to see such times as the essential pre-condition for new life?

The God of the Bible will often challenge our cherished assumptions about God. Letting those assumptions go is very hard to do; so hard in fact that we often stop reading the Bible all together.

Many tasks are too foreboding to take on alone; Bible study is one of them.

Living in a bubble is dangerous if we believe that Jesus is the way. Jesus was constantly inviting his disciples to move out of their bubble.

The current Vestry of St. Timothy's feels a particular sense of urgency about deepening our connection with people in our immediate and broader neighborhood. As our sign says, we want to love our neighbors—no exceptions! With that sense of urgency there is an accompanying danger.

The liberating moment in our life is when we hear Jesus speak our name. It is the moment when we realize that we are a beloved child of God, a priceless treasure of infinite worth, irrespective of anything we do or don’t do.

People who have been changed by the Risen Lord are the best witness to the truth of Easter.