Many of us have mastered the art of the uncomfortable church nap. You know the one – where you’re trying to stay respectfully upright while your eyelids wage war against consciousness. Maybe it happens during the pastoral prayer, or when someone is explaining a financial report. Your head starts that telltale bob, and you jerk […]
Anyone else ever watch the “Public Right to Know” Facebook group? Someone posts about a pothole, a question about the city, or some other random thing and within hours it just might turn into a digital mob scene. One person makes a snarky comment, then another piles on, and suddenly everyone’s competing to be the […]
There’s something captivating about a good performance. The lights dim, the music swells, and suddenly we’re transported into someone else’s story. For nearly 50 years, audiences have experienced the dazzling world of “Chicago: The Musical,” currently performed by our own McPherson Community Theatre. This Tony Award-winning show continues to pack theaters because it brilliantly reveals […]
As Memorial Day arrives tomorrow, many of us find ourselves in that space between honoring the past and welcoming summer. Flags wave alongside blooming flowers. Communities prepare for both solemn ceremonies honoring those who gave their lives and the familiar celebrations marking summer’s start. Through these moments, we honor the past while looking forward to […]
Late February brings the first whispers of spring approaching. With temperatures warming and ice beginning to melt, we feel a subtle shift in the air – a promise of renewal. Yet in this season of transition, many of us still carry winter’s restlessness. The novelty of New Year’s resolutions has worn off, and we might […]
The Valentine’s displays are already marked down at Walmart, heart-shaped chocolate boxes sit half-eaten on kitchen counters, and some roses are starting to drop their petals. Now that the commercialized romance of February 14th is fading, we might find ourselves thinking about love in deeper ways. What does it mean to love extravagantly? How do […]
As the decorations come down and resolutions fade, mid-January often feels like returning to earth after the holiday season’s heightened moments. Perhaps you’ve noticed how quickly our ambitious New Year’s commitments meet reality’s gravity. The gym crowds thin out, the healthy recipes get more creative with “substitutions,” and those meditation apps send increasingly hopeful notifications. […]
Have you ever watched someone carefully assemble a quilt? Each piece of fabric, worn with love or vibrantly new, tells its own story. Carefully chosen and positioned, they form a beautiful whole. In the aftermath of our recent elections, amidst the beautiful quilts and sewing projects we see today, perhaps you feel like scattered pieces […]
Imagine the buzz in Jerusalem the week after that first Easter. The crucifixion, the empty tomb, the appearances of the risen Jesus – the city must have been electric with wonder, confusion, and anticipation. Can you imagine the roller coaster of emotions experienced by the disciples? And now, we find yet another twist: Jesus’ ascension […]
Picture this: the streets of Jerusalem, filled with palpable excitement as Jesus enters the city on a donkey. The crowds wave palm branches, their voices echoing with shouts of “Hosanna!” It’s a scene of celebration and worship that we remember and reenact each Palm Sunday. But a more profound message speaks to our lives today […]
Last Sunday there was a farewell event for our family after the 11 a.m. worship service. It was a wonderful time – heartfelt thanks, earnest wishes, and blessings were shared from one to the other. I shared a few things to those that were there and share them with you here. Thumbnail Sketch If I […]
United Methodist Elders are ordained to Word, Order, Sacrament, and Service. It seems that during times of transition Order is one that takes precedence. In both leaving and beginning, there are a almost innumerable number of administrative items that need to be cared for, passed on to others, or at least communicated in some way. […]
Rev. Andrew Conard 