You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:19 This last week I was shocked twice. The first shock came on Tuesday, through a short message from Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II, our Stated Clerk: It is with a heavy heart...

You are dust,and to dust you shall return. Genesis 3:19 Last week was Ash Wednesday, when we are reminded of our own mortality.  If someone put ashes on you, it’s likely they also repeated this snippet from Genesis from the end of the punishment God stated to Adam at...

Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in. Isaiah 58:12 But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people....

O Lord, you have searched me and known me. Psalm 139:1 I am reminded that February is Black History Month, and I’ve wanted to recognize it in a column before the month runs out!  Wikipedia gave some background, including the reason for February.  The historian Carter...

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. Jeremiah 29:7   This Saturday is a great opportunity to hear about key issues in our world, and to hear from our own...

Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.  Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient...

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.  – 1 Corinthians 12:12 Once in a while I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the blessing I have in serving San Gabriel Presbytery.  This...

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way.  So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has...

How very good and pleasant it is   when kindred live together in unity!  Psalm 133:1 Last Tuesday was our most recent Presbytery meeting.  It was a joy to experience the hospitality of Knox Presbyterian Church.  I loved watching the four leaders for communion, the two...