Past, present, and future

  When families gather to say goodbye to their loved ones, we gather in the Virginia Gilmer Room prior to the service. Often I find myself in the hallway, you know the one with all the saints that have gone before, the wall of elders. Many who have never been to...

Addressing a major problem

Has there ever been a time in your life when you wondered where your next meal would come from? Did you ever have to make a choice between filling a prescription or buying food? Did you ever have to skip a meal so that your child could eat? Most of us don’t know what...

Backyard blessings

Recently Grant and I had the pleasure of an informal, last-minute dinner with friends in our backyard. It was one of those evenings when the temperature was just right, a slight breeze, the sun beginning to set. The friends who joined us are the young Ukrainian couple...

Mama-moods and God-moods

On Wednesday I called home to check on my husband and our 3-month-old.  “He’s been alright, but a bit fussy – he’s in a ‘mama-mood.’ ” We have begun using that term, ‘mama-mood’ when nothing will quite calm our little one except for me coming home. Sometimes his...

“How we can pray for you?”

Recently I was invited to lunch, set up by a layperson and some other pastors. These folks represent different traditions, but under the umbrella of Christians, trusting Christ as our Lord and Savior. We had a nice conversation, sharing about our call stories and...

What happens after Easter?

Today is Easter Monday. Traditionally a day of celebration (and rest for pastors and church staff everywhere) that began in the 15th century. Different Christian traditions celebrate this day in a variety of ways. In the 19th century the Easter Parade tradition...

Reflecting on the reliance of children

Every 3 hours. That is how frequently a newborn eats in the early days of life, sometimes even every 2 hours. If you have a child or have known someone who does, you might remember those early days. Those nighttime feedings feel long and endless. While I sat there one...

Reaching out to Covenant

Friends, Once again we are reeling in the wake of a tragic school shooting, this time in a church school affiliated with our PCA siblings in Christ. We know how close the bonds between a congregation and the school within its walls are and therefore we weep with those...

The legacy of Mr. Rogers and Grandaddy Cowan

I am certain that each of you marked March 20th on your calendar. That happened to be Mr. Rogers Day. So on Tuesday the 21st, I shared a story Mr. Rogers wrote about what an incredible teacher his grandfather was. Not a professor, but a teacher of life, an example for...

A great day to be a Matthew 25 church

This past Saturday nine of us from FPC worked with students from North Carolina A&T and two Habitat homeowners on a Habitat house. It was a full day. There was a great team of members with a lot of experience who came to work. I learned a lot from them and from...