Have you ever found yourself scrolling through your phone late at night, searching for something—anything—that might fill that restless feeling inside? Maybe you add items to your online cart, scroll through social media, or binge another episode of that show you’re not even enjoying anymore. We keep consuming, keep searching, keep spending time and money […]
Have you ever missed an important phone call because you didn’t recognize the number? You let it go to voicemail, only to discover later it was exactly the opportunity you’d been hoping for. We live surrounded by notifications, yet often miss the most important messages – especially when God is calling. Here’s what I’ve learned […]
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 […]
September in Kansas brings its annual comedy show—watching neighbors simultaneously run their air conditioners and heaters on the same day. Maybe you’ve overheard someone say, “I wore shorts this morning and needed a jacket by lunch!” This weather whiplash mirrors something deeper in our lives. We constantly adjust, trying to control our comfort and security. […]
Sermon – Short September always feels like January’s overachieving sibling, doesn’t it? New school supplies smell better than any candle, and we convince ourselves that color-coding our schedules will somehow create more hours in the day. Is that just me? Here in McPherson, as harvest season approaches and school activities ramp up, we pack our […]
The Methodist movement has always been marked by innovative approaches to spreading the Gospel. From its earliest days, Methodists have embraced new technologies and methods when they served the mission of making disciples. This heritage of holy innovation provides both precedent and wisdom for today’s engagement with artificial intelligence. John Wesley’s decision to preach in […]
When John Wesley began preaching in fields because churches wouldn’t welcome his message of grace, he wasn’t just breaking social conventions—he was pioneering the use of innovative methods to spread the Gospel. Today, as artificial intelligence transforms how we communicate, learn, and connect, Wesleyan theology offers profound wisdom for embracing these tools while maintaining our […]
Labor Day weekend—when half of McPherson still grills outside while the other half has already switched to soup season. Have you seen anyone put both a huge fan and a space heater in the garage “just in case.” We Kansans know how to prepare for anything, don’t we? We live ready for both scorching heat […]
Last week at Walmart, I watched what looked like a grandmother navigate the back-to-school aisles with what I assumed were three grandchildren. Each child gravitated toward different supplies—one wanted sparkly notebooks, another chose plain black, the third picked folders covered in dinosaurs. She smiled and said, “You each know exactly what you need.” That simple […]
Anyone else already tired of back-to-school ads? It’s only early August, but every store has transformed into a shrine to three-ring binders and number two pencils. My favorite are the commercials showing perfectly organized children cheerfully packing their backpacks at dawn. Meanwhile, most of us remember or experience the reality—frantically searching for matching socks while […]
August in Kansas sometimes means we’re caught between seasons. Summer isn’t quite finished with us, but fall is already sending advance notices through school supply displays and fall sports practice schedules. Many of us are still watering gardens – some thriving despite the heat, others looking like they’ve had quite enough of this Kansas summer, […]
Many of us experience moments when life feels like it’s shifting around us. Maybe you’re helping kids prepare for school starting in a few weeks, wondering where this summer went. Perhaps you’re dealing with changes at work, health challenges in your family, or simply trying to figure out what comes next in some area of […]
Rev. Andrew Conard 