Life In Greencastle

It is no fun being in the belly of the whale.   No fun at all. Have you ever been there? You would know it if you have. The feeling of being stuck.   Isolated.   Groping around a bit for answers, for a way out. That is the hardest part.   There answers don’t come very easily, if at all.   The way out can take a while to happen.   When will this end? … But, let’s back up.   Let’s back up and consider how we can end up in the belly of the whale in the first place. And for that, we’ll rely upon two stories:   story of Jonah, which we just heard, and the story of St. John of the Cross. We know why Jonah ended up in the belly of the whale.   There was a stubborn streak in the man.   There was a good bit of ego.   God had a specific desire for Jonah, and Jonah couldn’t accept God’s plan for his life.   He wasn’t humble enough to embrace the charge, the call, the mission, the invitation.   So inst...

What a gift it is to share this fellowship with you, and to know that - together - we are but a part of God's work going on here in Greencastle.  There are weeks, like this one, where I often marvel at how lucky I am to be surrounded by individuals and families who are doing such good and loving work for our community.  I've just emerged from a chat with Carol about her role as a CASA volunteer.  I often bump into Patti Harmless as well and think of this valuable work in our community, a work begun in many ways by Diana LaViolette. Carolyn McKee stopped in yesterday to both say hi to Trisha and check in with me about some ideas for a daycare fundraiser.  She went on to share about how the members of her Tri Kappa group had just taken up a spontaneous collection for the Non-Food Pantry, an incredibly valuable ministry that provides immeasurable help to many in our community faced with limited financial means and ever-present life needs.   Kara Jedel...

It's happened again. It just keeps happening. I've often joked recently that if I were the devil (which some people may assume that I am), here is what I would do.  Anytime there was any piece of news or issue or potential opportunity for political dialogue, this is what I would do.  I would immediately cast one side against the other.  I would immediately try to make an enemy of the other and see if I couldn't cause both sides to circle the wagons in defense of a position, batting down the hatches and arming for war. The strategy seems to be working pretty well.  So, as I sat watching the Shakira and Jennifer Lopez on Sunday evening, I knew that it was only a matter of time before the two sides encountered one another and prepared for all out trench warfare.  You know.  Dig more deeply down into your position and lob some attacks at the other side. That's how it goes. And it creates this strong desire to protect those on the inside of our own ci...

Congratulations to all of you at home enjoying your second snow day in a row. Or, maybe I should put that another way. My prayers are with you. Snow days are wonderful gifts, and there's a reason why Barbara Brown Taylor speaks of them as our last cultural moment of collective sabbath.  When the call from the school comes, parents and children are released to spend a day enjoying good books, playing out in the snow, and watching a movie or two together.  An openness of heart proceeds from the openness in the schedule.  Besides, there's nothing better than the sights and sounds of sledding, boots by the entry-way and gloves and hats defrosting on the heating vents. But, the second snow day can be a bit more ... shall we say, challenging. On the second day, things can become a bit more testy.  All that freedom and unstructured play can turn into a lit bit of a mad house.  You can't help but feel like Carol Burnett playing Miss Hannigan in Annie .  M...

"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the world.  He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word." - Hebrews 1:1-3 There's a lot going on this time of year.  Am I right?  A lot. Traveling through December is the emotional equivalent of strapping yourself into a rollercoaster at Holiday World.  You're bound to ride the highest highs and feel your stomach drop as you plunge to the depths.  You'll get whiplashed by the twists and turns of the family drama.  All the while, the marketers will be trying to grab your attention through any means possible:  radio, internet, your Instagram feed.  Today, I heard a report about Mattel's efforts to push out the Baby Yoda plush toy just in time for Christmas.  For...

It’s cold.   As in the kind that slaps you in the face when you walk outside, cold. I’m not sure the Semitic people experienced cold like we do – those polar surges in the Midwest like the one this week.   But they must have faced some of it for why else would the Psalmist cry out, “before such cold, who can stand?” (Ps. 147).   I’ve said this before, but such cold takes a lot out of you.   The seemingly effortless activities the rest of the year become true labors.   For those of us with cars outside, windows need to be defrosted.   And any trip to run an errand includes getting slapped all over again by that cold. It’s no wonder half of my congregation goes south for the winter. But, maybe there is some value to the struggle after all.   Maybe it puts us in the right frame of mind to receive the Advent news.   Today’s readings are for those who are struggling.   They are for the ones who are pushing through and not gett...

If you haven't yet seen " It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood ," the new biopic about Mr. Rogers, do yourself a favor and go.  If for nothing else, do it for the incredibly powerful moment shared between actors Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys in a little apartment about halfway into the movie.   Hanks, who does a phenomenal job of capturing Mr. Rogers' poise and stillness, is being interviewed by Rhys, an investigative journalist named Lloyd Vogel who writes for Esquire magazine.  Vogel is a man known for his serious temperament, and he is trying desperately to crack Mr. Rogers as an interview subject.  He comes at Mr. Rogers with question after question:  how he deals with the stardom, where he goes to unwind when things build up, who is he when he isn't "Mr. Rogers."  And all the while Mr. Rogers is similarly studying Vogel.   The scene shifts as Mr. Rogers opens up his suitcase to reveal King Friday and Daniel Striped Tiger. Channe...