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A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to A Funeral may seem inappropriate as the title of a book that talks about deaths and burials. But as a former teacher astutely observed, words have uses rather than meanings. Funny is one of those words. Something may be funny/ha-ha-amusing, humorous or funny/odd-unusual, out of the ordinary, even weird. And there are times when a thing is simultaneously funny/ha ha and funny/odd.My experience across more than sixty years of ministry has included all three uses, and that fact began early. Though a Baptist, I began like a Methodist serving a circuit of two rural churches. They referred to me as their pastor, but I was more like what the Air National Guard calls a "week-end warrior." I was a college student in Birmingham, the churches were 120 miles away in Chambers County, and I had no car when the first one called me. One met on first and third Sundays, the other on second and fourth Sundays. On fifth Sundays I went hungry! And to keep things interesting, though the churches were in the same Alabama county, one operated on central time and the other on eastern.I discovered this pattern applied in ministering to those who were genuinely grieved as well as to those, to put it nicely, "less emotionally stressed"; of whom there are many. Moods and happenings have run the gamut from: pious to secular; heart-breaking to funny bone-tickling; sublime to ridiculous; holy to irreverent. A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to A Funeral, therefore, seemed most appropriate as a title.

Some of the most important spiritual happenings have occurred in the dark. My book is a trilogy of walking in the dark. I share stories from my work in the physical darkness as I walked the streets of different cities late at night, sometimes all night long.In ministry at night in the "worst" part of the city it was not unusual to walk where the cloud of potential violence was part of the scene. This introduces another kind of darkness, that of the darkness of the spirit. Today we live with the stress of potential violence of another kind from the awareness of terrorist activity in different parts of our world.Violence, whether written in the bold letters of mass murder or in the pain of personal, even self-directed violence as in suicide is always very difficult to walk into. Learning to walk with people in their own world of pain is not easy. I share my stories of outreach to people at night on the streets of five different cities.Another form of darkness of the spirit is on display in most cities today in the form of homelessness. What is it like to be alone at night in the city? Walking with someone who is in this situation is not easy. It was not an easy thing for me to do.In a book about ministry it might seem strange to introduce the topic of running. This is the first time I have shared stories of my running. Some of this was done as a way to promote my work of night ministry. But I started running before I was involved in Operation Nightwatch. Now, some 40 years, later running and other kinds of physical exercise have become very popular.

Matt's sermons come to us in what is the best of times and the worst of times for preachers. It is the worst of times due to the cultural chaos that consumes us as well as the increasing disregard for-even derision of-Christian faith. Even the very premise of preaching-the act of one person standing up before a group of passive listeners to deliver a monologue prescribing beliefs and behaviors based on ancient texts-seems ludicrous in our technology- and entertainment-driven world. But this is also the best of times for preachers, for few moments in human history have been more desperate for a word from beyond our human capacities than ours. As he demonstrates so well in these sermons, Matt Rich humbly yet confidently steps up to speak such a word. It is a word forged in the crucible of life lived among people seeking to be faithful in a perplexing world. For his own understanding of preaching, Matt claims, as he states in his introduction to this volume, a definition that comes from Marilynne Robinson's exquisite novel Gilead: "trying to say what is true." Indeed, in his life and ministry as well as in his preaching, Matt strives to say what is true. He names grace, as Hilkert would call it, and he speaks the truth. Not a bad definition of preaching, for, in the end, what is preaching but bearing witness to the Word who came to dwell among us, "full of grace and truth?" And heaven knows we need all the grace and truth we can muster to help us navigate through these challenging days for the church, and we need preachers like Matt Rich to lead us. So read and ponder this good preaching, these sermons that name grace and tell the truth, and be led anew to encounters with the Living Word.

William Gaskill received his Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1978 and his Doctor of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary in 1991. He has served two congregations, The Avondale Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania. for 16 years, and his current position as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Merchantville, New Jersey since 1994. He has been a guest preacher at numerous congregational renewal week ends and at conferences on the Holy Spirit. He has travelled widely in the US, to Israel, Egypt, India, the British Isles, several islands in the Caribbean, and most recently walked the 500 mile Camino de Santiago with his oldest son Mark who is also a pastor.He and his wife Jean were married in 1971 and have three children and seven grandchildren. After the loss of their youngest son Jonathan, in 2007 Mr. Gaskill published his book, Gold Mining in the Pit of Sorrow: A Journey Through Child Loss and Grief which is still available.

The 365 reflections (plus one extra for leap years) which follow arise from personal experiences with God and life over seven decades on this earth. I share them in hopes that they may bring smiles - or more - to you as you experience God and life for yourself. My recommendation is that you try them one day at a time. Enjoy!

In the spring of 2015, I was asked to teach a four-week class on “Writing as a Spiritual Practice” for my church, Vestavia Hills Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The class drew more interest and participants than I anticipated, and to sustain that interest, our pastor, Gary Furr, initiated a monthly writers group for all who wanted to continue their writing activities. I have been a regular participant in that group, and the other members have provided me generous affirmations of my work.In fall 2015, Gary Furr published a collection of some sermons, prayers, and songs he had written over the course of his ministry. He encouraged me to consider publishing a collection of my own work with the same company he dealt with, Parson’s Porch & Company. Inspired by his success and his support, I began pulling together this collection of my writings and editing them for publication.

The collegium of preachers to which Steve Montgomery and I belong now has it plate exceedingly full of expectation, demand, and responsibility. That plate is full because we now live in a culture of commoditization that is bent toward self-destruction and death, in which human persons and creaturely possibility are ruthlessly transposed into marketable goods. The force of that commoditization is immense in the ominous pursuit of security and domination. In the midst of that force, the preacher is expected to speak some good news that is at the same time honest and compelling.

Margaret has just lost her Mom and is now living with her Uncle John in a new town. She is having trouble in school and struggling with friendships. It looks pretty grim for Margaret until Laurel, the magic swan, enters her life. Journey to Joona with Margaret, Laurel and her companions - a fabulous land of beauty, color. and music. Meet Laurel, the talking swan who seems to know every detail about Margaret and all of her friends. Will Margaret find a way through her sadness as Laurel becomes her fast companion? Read and find out!

The invitation to compile a book of sermons came as a surprise. I have served churches and seminaries now in five states, in five different regions, over the course of sixteen years since my ordination to the ministry of word and sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 2002. In every pastoral call I have accepted, I have preached nearly every week, excluding the blessed six Sundays a year gifted for vacation and study leave. Thus, I have quite a well of sermons to which to return for reflection.When I draw sermons out of the well, I catch glimpses of the people for whom they were written and to whom they were once delivered. I catch glimpses of the moments in time in which they were written. And I catch glimpses of the God who is the source, salvation, and sustenance of all that is.I also note the variety of preaching styles I have deployed over the years-from more pedagogical and didactic (reflecting my foundational call as a teacher in and for Christ's church) to more dramatic. The diversity in my preaching styles is a mere shadow of the profound diversity that is biblical literature. Preaching always emerges for me out of meditation on and study of specific biblical passages. Different passages yield different sermons, not only different messages, but different ways of carrying the message. Every time I preach, I am seeking to open scripture in such a way that the people I have been called to serve can hear it today. Surely sometimes more successfully than others.

This guide was written in follow-up to my best-selling book:"Are YOU More Likely To See Bigfoot or A Short Sale Approval Letter?"The purpose of this guide is to help Homeowners, Real Estate Agents, Attorneys, and anyone else navigate what seems like an ocean of paperwork and headaches.What follows is taken from more than 10 years of short sale negotiations and processing, and more than 10 years of helping hundreds of Homeowners and Real Estate Agents all over the country. Much of this information comes from "off-the-record" conversations with Supervisors, Vice Presidents, and even people in the offices of the CEO and President for some of the country's largest banks.Processing and negotiating short sales has to be the most ridiculous process on the planet. With the help of this guide, you too can make it to closing!!!

Parson's Porch Books is delighted to present to you this series called Sermons Matter.We believe that many of the best writers are pastors who take the role of preacher seriously. Week in, and week out, they exegete scripture, research material, write and deliver sermons in the context of the life of their particular congregation in their given community.We further believe that sermons are extensions of Holy Scripture which need to be published beyond the manuscripts which are written for delivery each Sunday. Books serve as a vehicle for the sermon to continue to proclaim the Good News of the Morning to a broader audience.Dr. Karl Travis gives us a treasure trove of sermons which exemplifies the best of today's preaching. Preachers will benefit from his examples of sermons, and still others will benefit from his insights into the Christian faith.We celebrate the wonderful occasion of the preaching event in Christian worship when the Pastor speaks, the People listen and the Work of the Church proceeds.Take, Read, and Heed.

Parson's Porch Books is delighted to present to you this series called Sermons Matter.We believe that many of the best writers are pastors who take the role of preacher seriously. Week in, and week out, they exegete scripture, research material, write and deliver sermons in the context of the life of their particular congregation in their given community.We further believe that sermons are extensions of Holy Scripture which need to be published beyond the manuscripts which are written for delivery each Sunday. Books serve as a vehicle for the sermon to continue to proclaim the Good News of the Morning to a broader audience.Mark Zimmerly is a seasoned preacher who throughout the year provides his congregation with scholarly, yet practical, insight into the text from which he has chosen to preach. Good Intentions is a fine example for pastors and congregants alike.We celebrate the wonderful occasion of the preaching event in Christian worship when the Pastor speaks, the People listen and the Work of the Church proceeds.

Parson's Porch Books is delighted to present to you this series called Sermons Matter.We believe that many of the best writers are pastors who take the role of preacher seriously. Week in, and week out, they exegete scripture, research material, write and deliver sermons in the context of the life of their particular congregation in their given community.We further believe that sermons are extensions of Holy Scripture which need to be published beyond the manuscripts which are written for delivery each Sunday. Books serve as a vehicle for the sermon to continue to proclaim the Good News of the Morning to a broader audience.We celebrate the wonderful occasion of the preaching event in Christian worship when the Pastor speaks, the People listen and the Work of the Church proceeds.Take, Read, and Heed.

The beatitudes are not mild, pious platitudes without strength or deep meaning; they form a challenge hurled into the teeth of normal world standards. The first three Beatitudes are the "great reversals" of Jesus; heaven's standards are seen to be the direct opposite of earth's. God's evaluation of people is shown to be far different from humans' assessment. The continuing profile of the member of God's kingdom reveals character fashioned by God's measurements, not by people's standards.I am convinced that believers need to revisit the Beatitudes from time-to-time to maintain the creative tension they present for Christian living in our progressively secular and permissive society. In a time marked by sharp moral and ethical indifference and decline, kingdom citizens are to represent their King well and unashamedly. I have not fully achieved that goal, but with God's help, I will remain on the way.

The world has changed much since Ronald Reagan was president. The common cultural trend of keeping religion and politics in separate boxes has ended. Separation of church and state, while historic, has been argued, ignored, and changed in emphasis multiple times to suit our own agendas. The idea that you can maintain separation of church and state simply by forbidding the public support of any given candidate is not keeping the church out of politics, it is simply forcing the church to be non-partisan. The church has pushed a political agenda through specific issues since the beginning, and especially in more recent times around issues of civil rights, global relations, economic issues, and marriage.

This book offers the author's theological and biblical thoughts, informed by a unique perspective based on his knowledge of what was achieved when a strong missionary society agreed to cooperate with a sympathetic government in advancing Christian schools in West Africa. In the early eighteenth century, the British government was successful in claiming this prosperous part of West Africa, which they identified as the Gold Coast. This period of history, centered in the eighteenth century, came to be known by historians as "the scramble for Africa," and a scramble it was. Germany gained colonies that were then snatched from her at the end of World War I. Italy, Belgium, Portugal, and others likewise gained colonies, but by any measure, Great Britain gained the upper hand, the largest population, and most prosperous territory. Out of it, France emerged with the largest territory.

Parson's Porch Books is delighted to present to you this series called Sermons Matter.We believe that many of the best writers are pastors who take the role of preacher seriously. Week in, and week out, they exegete scripture, research material, write and deliver sermons in the context of the life of their particular congregation in their given community.We further believe that sermons are extensions of Holy Scripture which need to be published beyond the manuscripts which are written for delivery each Sunday. Books serve as a vehicle for the sermon to continue to proclaim the Good News of the Morning to a broader audience.In this book, Jon Ashley provides a series of sermons called, My Life Purpose: How to Discover God's Call, which is designed as a workbook for study and self-examination of God's call in one's life. Rev. Ashley is well versed in scripture and the art of proclaiming God's Good News.We celebrate the wonderful occasion of the preaching event in Christian worship when the Pastor speaks, the People listen and the Work of the Church proceeds.Take, Read, and Heed.

I want to share an amazing story, a story about God's amazing Grace. God has given me a new life. He did so because he died on the cross for me and for you. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior at the age of 19 years old. I was at home and it was late at night. God hears our prayers at any time and any day! We can call on him any time! So my Christian life began.I want to share an amazing story, a story about God's amazing Grace. God has given me a new life. He did so because he died on the cross for me and for you. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior at the age of 19 years old. I was at home and it was late at night. God hears our prayers at any time and any day! We can call on him any time! So my Christian life began.

In his helpful devotional guide, Nurture Faith: Five Minute Meditations to Strengthen Your Walk with Christ, Doug Hood invites us to join him in the spiritual disciplines that have made him an exemplary pastor, preacher, husband and father. If we will assimilate the spiritual disciplines of scripture, meditation, and prayer into our daily routine, we will grow in our faith in Jesus Christ. But watch out…these devotionals might just change your life…as they are changing mine!"(Rev. Dr. Thomas K. Tewell, Former Executive Director, Macedonian Ministry)Nurture Faith: Five Minute Meditations to Strengthen Your Walk with Christ by Doug Hood provides a meaningful resource for people of faith as it blends Biblical passages with experiences of today, resulting in a meditation guide as well as a self-help manual. By consistently relating God's word with current examples, Dr. Hood has revealed his own struggles in being faithful while providing insight into possible responses to temptations and challenges which impact all Christians in one way or another on their faith journey.

Vulnerable Embrace is a book that celebrates the worship of God through a unique collection of 21st century sermons by co-pastor "clergy couple" Elana Levy and Lucus Keppel.Within, you will find:· stories of love, loss, and camping · plays and dialogues between Bible characters who never could have met any other way· connections between science, history and scripture that reveal more harmony than you might expect· a love of the Biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek that helps bring great depth and refreshing clarity to the work.Elana and Lucus are pastors in their first decade of congregational ministry. Their collection of sermons gives us a glimpse at the basics for "new church," "next church," and "fresh expressions."These sermons reflect the unique backgrounds, academic training, and non-church work experience of Elana and Lucus. They fold careful Biblical research, and relevant theological reflection into a mix of popular culture and current events to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of their congregation. Even their word-studies are charming. In other words, these are really engaging, witty people who preach thought-provoking and helpful sermons.~From the foreword by Rev. Deborah Fortel and Rev. Dr. David Sawyer of Flourishing Church Consulting and Coaching

A Journey Remembered contains the partial story of my life. I have written it in response to the suggestions of family and friends who have heard portions of the story over time and have suggested repeatedly that a written record be made. Family history appears in genealogy and stories told to me by older family members who were more than willing to share. Though some accounts may have been slightly exaggerated, they are part of the family story. Having listened carefully to what my elders have shared with me, I may be the sole repository of family lore. Also, I have been assured that children, grandchildren, friends and other associates might find what I have written to be interesting and worth reading.So I have put in print what I know and remember. The importance of this exercise was brought home to me in a comment by my wife, JoAnn. She stated quite simply that I ought to write what I could remember before something happened, and I would no longer be able to remember clearly. That statement caused me to begin writing what you are about to read. It is a record of my memory of a lifelong journey. I began writing in early June 2004. I was at that time 73 years old. Surprisingly, it has taken longer to write what you are about to read than I first anticipated. To those of you who read this record, I offer my thanks for taking the time to read an old man's account of his life and experiences. May you find the record informative and interesting.

Finding Manna is the story of Clare Wheeler, a young woman who feels lost in the middle of her own life. She chose to move far away from home after a broken romance and is living a life that looks successful on the surface. But underneath, she's in a career that was picked for her, in a location that looks like paradise, but feels like solitary confinement.Through getting to know the guests at a place called Manna House, Clare begins to see the world through new eyes. She is stretched to view life through the lens of people who deal with poverty, addiction, immigration and emotional health issues - and those experiences change how she understands her life. Clare explores her identity through adventures and experiences that continuously challenge Clare's view of who she is, what she can do, and how she wants to live her life. She is on a journey to find her own spiritual, professional and relational identity - and claim the life that is hers to live.

Think of this as a conversation on the matter of deacons in the Lord's churches.I'm a pastor. For 42 years I served six Southern Baptist churches and followed that with 5 years as the director of missions for our denomination's 130 churches and missions throughout greater New Orleans. I love deacons. My oldest son is one of the finest deacons I know. I'm eternally indebted to the Lord for surrounding me with godly and mature deacon friends who have enriched my life and enabled my ministry. My pastorates have been immeasurably strengthened by solid deacons who loved Jesus and wanted nothing more than to serve Him.But I did not emerge unscathed from serving alongside deacons.

WorshipPoints: A Liturgical Resource for Year C written by Rev. Chris Warren who is pastor of First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. A great resource for worship planners.

When Jesus' followers saw him praying, they knew that he connected to God in a profound way. Wanting to know how they could do the same, they asked: "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1). Their request continues to be the desire of all who long for a meaningful life with God.Learning how to pray can happen in many ways. Sometimes we learn to pray from those who pray for us and with us. My parents prayed over our meals by day and over us by night. A spirit of gratitude and intercession pervaded my early life. My initial prayers were no doubt formed by what I heard them say to God in my presence.As we mature, we involuntarily learn to pray when crises hit. Mimicking our parents' prayers doesn't help in those moments. Difficulties drive us to articulate that most personal of prayers, "God, I need you right now . . . ." Perhaps for the first time in our lives, we talk to God from our hearts, in all sincerity. Adversity became our instructor.Praying Scripture is another way to mature in our life with God. When we read the Bible, we listen for God's voice. When we discern his direction, we respond in prayer. Often our words simply repeat the language of Scripture. If you are reading a psalm of thanksgiving like Psalm 103, and you want to pause and tell God how grateful you are for all of the blessings in your life, then it would be natural for you to repeat the words of gratitude from verses 1-2: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits" (Ps 103:1-2 NASB). Praying Scripture gives us the benefit of beautiful, borrowed language to talk to God. In this way, God's Spirit teaches us to pray.

How long will good people remain silent in the face of the religious bigotry that has captured our Christian faith in America? How long will we sit silently by while religious bigotry overshadows love, tolerance and grace?How long before we finally stand up and say, "Enough is enough. This is not who we are"?Reginald Scot, the author, boldly answers this question for himself in this book. He will no longer be silent and hopes that the book's stories will encourage you to join him and others in speaking out against religious bigotry and all its sanctimonious forms of evil. A day does not go by that white political and religious leaders, somewhere, do not play to their support bases by demeaning others. They denounce court orders that grant equality and call on school boards and local, state and national governments to force their religious agendas, including funding their schools, on the rest of the nation, all under the umbrella of "religious freedom". Within their own churches, women are relegated to subservient roles, the LGBT community demonized, sexual assaults of women excused, other faiths damned, and demeaning jokes about blacks and other minorities laughed at.

In this collection of writings, I share snippets of my childhood experiences of growing up in the small, rural community of Mexia in Monroe County, Alabama, during the mid-1950s through the mid-1960s. The themes of family, faith, education, and community emerged as I compiled the writings into this edition. My mother often told my sisters and me that the stories we read in books mirrored the real-life experiences of the people in our rural, isolated community. I'm not sure I believed her. How could rousing stories spring from people who farmed cotton and corn, and who attended Mexia Baptist Church at least three times every week? However, as always...Mother was right. People in our community "walked through the valley of the shadow of death" and experienced the "joy that comes in the morning." Like generations before them, they had to wrestle with justice and mercy, decide between good and evil, find the power to forgive, learn how to control temptations, and accept or reject the goodness of God. Mother's desire was for my sisters and me to travel and see the sights we read about in the many books she encouraged us to read. My sisters and I have been most fortunate to have travelled five of the seven continents and sailed four of the five oceans. We have toured major world cities and seen sights Mother dreamed of seeing. Daddy would wonder why we wanted to go in the first place! But the wonderful thing about Daddy is that he would be happy for us because our happiness was his happiness. No matter where we travel or how far we roamed from Mexia, it is the home lessons we learned in our childhood hometown that linger closest to the heart.

This collection of messages was preached at The First Presbyterian Church of Burlingame in California in the year 2018. Perhaps more than any other lectionary-based series I have offered from the front, this message series had the impact of connecting with real people in real life challenges and situations in real time. Anyone who is reading this book, preacher or non-preacher alike, is welcome to use whatever illustrations they find in this book that are helpful for their personal situations, or their teaching life. Audio copies of these messages (CD's, or other digital versions) can be found by linking on the www.burlpres.org website or contacting the front office of the First Presbyterian Church of Burlingame.