What's Tony Thinking

Updates on Sermons, American Anger and Apologizing

January 18, 2023 — Sermons. Big thanks to those of you who sat through the 27 minute Zoom of my sermon last Sunday. Even bigger thanks to those of you who offered helpful feedback on the experience! I learned something. Zoom is not the way to go for this. Probably best to just add an audio of the sermon that... Read More

Asking for What We Need

January 16, 2023 — An experience I’ve had many times in pastoral ministry is that of a person who is going through a difficult time becoming angry because, “No one from the church has reached out to me/ us.” Recently, when responding to such a person, I said, “You’re right. We let you down. I’m sorry.” And we had let... Read More

“Come and See,” a Sermon for January 15, 2023

January 15, 2023 — I recorded this sermon on Zoom so if you prefer to listen (and view) rather than read you should be able to access it by clicking on this link. You will need this passcode, so write it down before you click on the link $6c&5$f7 “Come and See” John 1: 29 – 42 January 15, 2023... Read More

As The Week Ends . . .

January 13, 2023 — We went to see the Tom Hanks movie, “A Man Called Otto,” in an actual theater the other day. It is based on the novel, “A Man Called Ove” by Frederick Backmann. It also owes something to the 2009 Clint Eastwood movie, “Gran Torino,” about another isolated, grumpy old man. Like Eastwood, Hanks makes a... Read More

Where Do We Go Now?

January 11, 2023 — Several of you called my attention to yesterday’s in-print conversation between David Brooks and Bret Stephens in the pages of New York Times. It was titled, “The Party’s Over For Us: Where Do We Go Now?” Both Brooks and Stephens have identified as conservative, and to some extent with the Republican Party — at least... Read More

A Sermon for January 8: The Baptism of Jesus

January 8, 2023 — The Family Photo Isaiah 42: 1 – 9, Matthew 3: 13 – 17 January 8, 2023 As the New Year began Linda announced that one of her goals for 2023 was to get a family photo taken this year. Easier said than done . . . now that two members of the family live in... Read More

Hombre de Juicio

January 5, 2023 — As we transition back from Mexico to the States I am reading Paul Theroux’s On the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey, which came out in 2019. Theroux has turned many adventure filled journeys into books that are both good reading and rich in insight. He undertook his venture to Mexico as an older man (76) who... Read More

My COVID Update

January 3, 2023 — Well, I and we are finally, gradually, rejoining the land of the living. Thanks to all of you who sent notes and expressed concern during my COVID experience. It has now been two weeks since my first symptoms, thus I am no longer contagious — or so I am told. Still, being cautious. Masking when... Read More

My Sermon for January 1, 2023

December 31, 2022 — Babe On the Run Matthew 2: 13 – 23 January 1, 2022 I don’t know if this will amount to a sermon or not. But we’ll give it a try for two reasons. One, after eight weeks, I’m in the habit. Two, I’m isolating with COVID — so plenty of time to write, and not... Read More

American Anger: My Take

December 30, 2022 — In the year now ending there have been reports-a-plenty about Americans behaving badly. We lose it on planes, in cars, and on Twitter. There have been not a few articles purporting to explain why we are so angry. In this recent one at the New York Times, it is suggested that we have lost our... Read More

Older posts

Newer posts