We saw the movie Amazing Grace last night. See it. Please. My favorite line of the movie, “I’m the worlds greatest sinner and Christ is the worlds greatest Savior…I hope I got that right. Anyways, see it. An old friend has helped write a book that I hope to get that will only add to helping grasp the power of this movie here.

Flew solo tonight leading my first Ash Wednesday service at church. It was a special service in so many ways. The church hadn’t had a Ash Wednesday service for several years. It was an honor to lead this service and to help folks get ready for the Lenten journey we all walk as followers of Jesus. We even tried something new. Communion by intinction. Very moving and powerful for me to witness God’s grace in community.  

My church blog.

Okay. I caved. Coach K.C. of the Littleleague TBall Astros is in the house. The best part of the night was when Ty looked at another kid, pointed to me and said, “My dad, the coach.” I melted like butter. OF course the older child of mine says, “dad, you don’t know how to coach.” Should be fun.

As I’m up right now doing church stuff and printing stuff for worship I come across Mark’ new web site. Just what I needed to remember as I worry about church which is only in a few hours.

I must say I loved every bit of my seminary education. My theology classes with folks like this and this who I could sit and listen to all day long. After today and the fun I had today in officiating a wedding, these are a few classes I wish seminary had offered;

1. The Missional Theology of the Wedding Coordinator

2. Marriage licensee preparation and its use in ministry to engaged couples

3.  How to minister to broken down printers as a pastor without falling away from Jesus before the wedding.

4. The Office of Church Custodian and its function as a minister of the Gospel

5. The Etiquette of the minister of the Gospel at a wedding reception and how one is to function inspite of the yummy food being dished out.

Okay. Just a few.

Earlier this week I shared that I had a chance to lead someone to Christ. I have to tell you part of the reason I’m blown away was that in my years of serving in the church I’ve witnessed others coming to Jesus, but I’ve never really experienced first hand someone wanting me to pray with them about their hearts desire to come to know Christ. I was in awe and honored and yet overwhelmed with the responsibility of being a pastor, teacher and in helping others lead a church. Okay! It was awesome!!! Anyways, I do my first wedding tomorrow, it’s a Renaissance theme. I’ve never done a wedding like this. Should be fun. And Youth Sunday is right around the corner! This day is a day I love and yes the break in preaching is a nice one!

I was standing in the greeting line we have at church this morning. Typical Sunday. Preached a sermon on “Onesimus” from Philemon 1. The idea was that the church is a place where God extends the hand of grace to all of God’s children. During the greeting time, someone walked through the line and nudged her boy friend and said, “go ahead, ask him.” She looks at me and says, “he wants to be saved.” We stepped out of the line, he says, “I want to be saved,” we said a prayer together, and he was on his way. I wanted to cry. On the day you feel like your sermon tanks as a pastor, there’s one person who always needs to hear it. God is faithful. As for the fellow who came to Christ, I hope I see him again.