Life In Greencastle

Did you happen to see the story about the political race in Massachusetts this week, the one that led to the people of Massachusetts electing its first Republican Senator in 38 years? Now, keep in mind this was the same state where Ted Kennedy held that Senatorial position for almost 47 years! Here's how the USA Today described the election: "Not in decades has the election of a single new senator caused such an upheaval in the capital's political calculations." The reason this is such big news: by electing Republican Scott Brown as its next Senator, Massachusetts has altered the fate of the health care proposal for the entire nation. With Scott Brown headed to Washington, the health care proposal, which was already a hard sell, seems destined to be shelved. The president and the Democratic party are headed back to square one. Now, I'm sure we could have quite a debate about whether this is good news or bad news, and - personally - I think that would be a gr...

Just last week I had commented that we are very much connected with the entire world. Little could I or any of us know what was to occur in Haiti this week. Now we do, and we remember just how vulnerable all of us are as human beings, how direly we need help. You have likely seen some of the images that have emerged from the earthquake. The images, the videos, the testimonies of the people who have suffered this tragedy: they are haunting and horrifying. The cause the ancient cry of the Psalms to be heard: "How long, O Lord?" They also spur something within us: a desire to do something. I want to make clear what we can do to help. First of all, we can pray. Pray for the Lord's mercy and mighty arm of salvation to be active in and through the people and workers who are already there in Port-au-Prince. Pray for consolation and sustained care for those who have lost loved ones. Pray that the same God who brought life out of death in Jesus Christ would continue to ...

I opened the door of our home and smelled the burning of hickory and oak pouring out of the wood furnace. Meanwhile, the snow silently fell like a million wishes from the heavens - the answer to the prayers of thousands of children. Snow day! What a gift and a joy so long as we are at home, and I hope that you are, safe and snug. There are others of us who are at work, or who are away on business. There are students on trips. For them we pray today, asking God to care and protect and ultimately to deliver them back home to us. Still others have already flown the coop - heading south for the winter to nest where you can see grass and you don't have to scrap your car's windshield. But, even there I've heard they are not immune from this cold air that has swept down upon our country. Our entire nation is covered by the cold hues of blue and purple and a chilly white. I heard upon the radio this week the whole world seems chilled. Europe, Russia, North America: all be...

Coming tomorrow ... It's like Facebook ... only without the computer ... or the internet ... but with your family and friends. Join us! ~Wes

It is Monday, January 4th, and I am trying to catch up on what has happened in the world and in the community. As many of you know, I took the week off following the first Sunday of Christmas, which was a tremendous gift to receive. Thank you to all of those who helped afford this small vacation for me: for Jane Williams and her constant care and support in communicating our life together, for Rev. Tim Jessen and his willingness to travel up from Bloomington with his wife, Elma, and lead us into worship yesterday, and for the thousand others acts performed in my absence. I came into the office this morning to find the sanctuary stripped of the Christmas tree and the pulpit and other furniture returned to their ordinary state - signs that we have indeed moved through the last of 2009 and into a new year. This marks an anniversary: one whole year of living, working, ministering, and discovering with you. About this time last year, we had moved up to Greencastle, and I was busy fini...