What's Tony Thinking

Identitarianism Confounded

January 31, 2023 — We’ve adopted an “idenitarian” mindset in America today. By that I mean everyone is viewed first and foremost through their racial, national, political, gender or sexual identity. But events are confounding this narrative — and rightly so. In Ukraine we have wanted to think that this war was a matter of good Ukrainians versus evil... Read More

Some Good News for a Change

January 26, 2023 — Here are three items that seem to me like very good news . . . in a time when the bad news appears unremitting . . . One from the current issue of The Christian Century headed “Out of Endangerment.” We’re used to reading stories about wildlife in decline — in the last decade, 23... Read More

Sometimes You Need a Blessing, A Sermon on Matthew 5: 1 – 12

January 25, 2023 — Here is a sermon I preached earlier this week on the Gospel passage from the Common Lectionary for Sunday, January 29, 2023. First there is a link to the audio recording. Then the written text of the sermon. Let me know how this works for you. The password for the recording is rO#bk*5 Audio Recording Sometimes... Read More

The Church of the Future: Going Deeper (2)

January 24, 2023 — Recently I wrote a blog on “The Church of the Future: Going Deeper, Reaching Wider.” I promised more. Here’s the first in that occasional series. Someone asked me just the other day what I would advise the declining congregation of which he is part. I said, “people need to come out of church feeling better... Read More

Memory Work

January 23, 2023 — While I no longer write for the UCC Daily Devotional, the editor does occasionally reprint one of my past Devotionals, as they did today. I thought some of you who don’t see it might enjoy this one. Memory Work by Anthony Robinson | published on Jan 23, 2023 “My mouth will proclaim the Lord’s praise,... Read More

The Church of the Future: Going Deeper and Reaching Wider

January 21, 2023 — Clergy I talk to tell me that church attendance is averaging about 60% of what it was pre-pandemic. And, for some, that’s the higher end. Will church attendance recover? I don’t know. I’m not sure that’s the right question. But there’s some recent reporting at Mockingbird.com on the relationship between health and social relationships with... Read More

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

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