Deliver us from evil. Jesus taught the disciples as they wanted to learn to pray. At West Grove, we have been studying the familiar and profound words of Lord’s Prayer this Lent. In the somber and realistic evaluation of our world, the sixth petition of Jesus’ prayer levels with God- bring us not into the time of trial and rescue us from…
Maundy Thursday, 7pm There is nothing like summertime with bare feet and the grass and sand between your toes! Beachgoers the world over, know that after you have spent time on the sands, whether you call it the shore or beach, you need to wash your feet well before you enter the house. Regardless of whether you wore sneakers, sandals, or let…
Maundy Thursday—Noon There is nothing like summertime with bare feet and the grass and sand between your toes! Beachgoers the world over, know that after you have spent time on the sands, whether you call it the shore or beach, you need to wash your feet well before you enter the house. Regardless of whether you wore sneakers, sandals, or let the…
What does it mean to celebrate Palm Sunday in the time of covid 19 and shelter in place? Our Hosanna has a sharper focus. Being a part of the crowd is bit more cosmic. And our journey with Jesus is more tender. On Palm Sunday, we cry together: Hosanna, which literally beseeches “God save us”! In a different year, we would have…
There is an old tale told about a preachers’ get together from days gone by. Maybe you know it. Four preachers met for a friendly gathering. During the conversation one preacher said, “Our people come to us and pour out their hears, confess certain sins and needs. Let us do the same for each other. Confession is good for the soul.” In…
As a young girl, I can remember playing a game with neighborhood friends. We would make soup. In order to do, you need as many sticks as you could gather, rocks, leaves – dried and crunchy from the ground, and any nuts and berries you could find. I would mix it in the round aluminum container that my family kept our fresh…
Are Are We There Yet?The kingdom of God is like a man who takes up knitting in his retirement years. Ed Mosley, an 86-year-old resident of the Atlanta Georgia Dogwood Forest assisted living facility learned to knit and purl in his golden years. With an introductory loom and instructions given to him by his granddaughter, the retired engineer taught himself to make…
When You Pray Welcome to your annual soul checkup. Let’s together get ourselves ready for Easter. This will take us a number of weeks, about six to do this right. Let’s focus in on how your prayer life is going as one of the primary indicators of a healthy relationship with God. Let your soul be open to a preventive checkup that…
For the last five weeks, we have been traveling with Paul in the first three chapters of the first letter to the Corinthians, where he called the people to remember they belonged first to Christ. Every action that followed came from a knowledge of belonging together to Christ. We, together, belong to Christ. Together, we lack nothing. We align on the person…
Do you know the story of state nicknames? What is Pennsylvania called? The Keystone State. Do you know why? Keystones are the crucial center stone in the arch that holds together the other rocks. Pennsylvania, in the middle colonies, held a key position geographically, economically, and politically in the original thirteen colonies.(1) Another state nickname that has always fascinated me is Missouri.…