What's Tony Thinking

Seattle’s Left Marches Off the Map

October 29, 2020 — On Wednesday a Seattle Times editorial called for an end to vile and dangerous threats against Mayor Jenny Durkan. I always used to think that if you got it from both sides, then you were probably doing something right. Durkan certainly has gotten it from both sides. But this is no joke — whatever you think... Read More

Some News About My Blogs

October 29, 2020 — I hope everyone is hanging in there in these last days before our official “Election Day” next Tuesday. Pins and needles time. We will all have to come up with an extra measure of patience as the results come in more slowly over a several day period due to the large mail-in vote. Let’s just... Read More

Halloween and Our Dance with the Demonic

October 28, 2020 — Halloween will, like everything else, be different this year. Not much trick or treating I’d think, and fewer parties. At least I hope so. I’ve mused some in recent years about what I perceive to be the growing popularity of Halloween. There are aspects of it that are just fun, and of course, there’s the... Read More

Calling a Thing What It Is

October 26, 2020 — Heidi Neumark, the wonderful Lutheran pastor and author, is out with a new book, Sanctuary: Being Christian in the Wake of Trump. Neumark was twice our guest for the Festival of Preaching Northwest. Her’s were some of the most memorable sermons at those Festivals. Recently she was interviewed about the new book on the podcast I’ve mentioned... Read More

Sharing a Dream

October 24, 2020 — Last night I had this dream: I was a younger pastor serving a smallish church. The congregation was meeting in something that looked like a lodge at a camp. Off the main room, where the congregation was gathered, were several smaller rooms. In one room were older kids, in another, closest to the main room,... Read More

Round Two Goes To?

October 23, 2020 — Post Alley asked its regular contributors to weigh in immediately following last night’s second Presidential debate. You can see my contribution, along with that of a half-dozen others at that site. The first debate had set the bar so low that round two seemed, well, almost normal. As such, it probably won’t change much. The... Read More

A Ritual to Read to Each Other

October 22, 2020 — These last days before the election seem to be pushing the dial from urgent to frantic to completely bonkers — at least if my email in-box is any indication. I do sometimes wonder if, after the election, I’ll get any emails at all — given that the number from candidates and election-related causes seem many... Read More

The Blessing

October 19, 2020 — Yesterday’s worship from Bethel UCC in White Salmon, Washington, where our daughter Laura is the pastor, concluded with the video, “The U.K. Blessing.” The recording features singers from a host of churches across the United Kingdom, and reflects the diversity of those predominantly evangelical congregations. The original song comes from Elevation Worship, the worship band... Read More

Prairies and Gratitude

October 18, 2020 — In her “Sunday Prayers” post Nadia Bolz-Weber comments that these days it’s easy for her (and many of us I suspect) to be fearful and angry (worried too), but gratitude may come harder. Here’s a nice bit from her musings. “And let’s be honest, it’s so much easier for me to long for what I... Read More

On Lowering Our Expectations of Politics

October 15, 2020 — One of the reasons I am actually enthusiastic about Joe Biden’s candidacy is that no one is likely to confuse him with the Messiah, or a Superhero, or even an exciting charismatic leader. Nope. Joe Biden is a decent human being. He is experienced at politics and governance. This, in contrast to both Trump and... Read More

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