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 […]
Wesley’s doctrine of Christian perfection—understood not as sinless perfection but as being perfected in love—provides the ultimate standard for evaluating any ministry tool or method. When it comes to artificial intelligence, this distinctive Wesleyan teaching offers both a goal and a measurement: does this technology help people grow in perfect love for God and neighbor? […]
Stories change how we see the world. A good movie can shift our perspective, revealing possibilities we never imagined. In “How to Train Your Dragon,” a young Viking named Hiccup discovers everything his village believed about dragons was wrong. These weren’t mindless monsters but intelligent creatures capable of friendship and loyalty. The film resonates because […]
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 […]
There’s something deeply hopeful about this morning’s soaking rain after our long dry spell. We’ve just experienced the 9th driest March on record over the past 131 years, with rainfall over 1.6 inches below normal. In fact, this has been the 15th driest year to date, with precipitation more than two inches below what we […]
It is not often that I confess in writing. Most often, I confess verbally. There is something different about putting your sins down on paper. Seeing the words on the page makes them more tangible and seem more ugly. The sheet of paper is filled up with things of which I am not proud in […]
I enjoy taking care of our yard. It is good for my soul. Last fall, I did not have a chance to get in a final raking as the snow fell early and stayed on through most of the winter. This meant that we were left with a mess of wet and matted leaves to […]
I go through seasons in my practice of spiritual disciplines and now is a time for a refresh. I found inspiration and encouragement in A Call to Spiritual Formation – a simple document addressing the need for continual spiritual formation of every Christian. I invite you to visit the website at http://acalltospiritualformation.info and sign your […]
Rev. Andrew Conard 