Journey of Faith
It’s hard to believe that we are in the month of August and school has started back. I’ve always enjoyed the beginning of school after the summer break. Usually, it meant getting new folders, pencils, pens and paper. It meant getting some new tennis shoes and clothes....
Next Steps
In 2007, Gil Rendle, an independent consultant working with issues of change and leadership in denominations and large churches, was asked to help provide new direction for the denomination that wishes to steer away from trends that have dominated past decades and...
Do Not Judge
A few years ago, I stopped by to visit a fellow United Methodist pastor at the church he was serving. I was in the area running errands and thought I would say hello. Upon entering the office suite, I encountered a church volunteer who welcomed me and asked if they...
August Letter
In December of 2011, the Southern Baptist Convention engaged in a major nation-wide study of how favorably or unfavorably Americans view different faith groups including Catholics, Protestants, Mormons and Muslims. The study revealed that The United Methodist Church...
New Dog
New Dog Well, the Aleridge family has taken the plunge and we have gotten a Shih Tzu puppy. The children named her Chloe Marie. Her breed name “Shih Tzu” means “Lion Dog” (in Chinese) because this kind of dog was bred to resemble "the lion as depicted in traditional...
June 2013 Newsletter
This 48th Session of the TN Annual Conference marked my 14th conference. I started attending the TN Annual Conference when I was licensed to preach in 1999. Over the years I have always enjoyed visiting with fellow clergy, but the business portion of the conference...
Roasting Your Pastor
These are the words of Ron Edmondson. I was talking to a young pastor recently. He’s been called to a church in steep decline and asked to salvage and, hopefully, even grow the church again. It’s hard work changing a church. (I know this firsthand.) He knew...
Lance Armstrong
This Sunday we continue our "Journey through the Scriptures" as we look at the Gospel of Mark. In this Gospel, Jesus proclaims the Kingdom and demands repentance. The pace is rapid and the word “immediately” appears twenty-seven times. The opening verse sets the...
God Blesses Obedience
I don’t know about you, but I like things to have order. My sense of well-being is often derived from my understanding of order and control. I like to have specific guidelines and plans for my life and I like people around me having specific guidelines and plans for...
Missing Dad
It has been 15 years since the death of my father (August 1997). Lately, especially with the birth and growth of my two children, I am keenly aware of how the only knowledge they will have of my father is through stories and what I share with them about him, since...
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