The last time Barb and I headed out of town on a weekend to simply be attenders, i.e. not having a scripted part in the ceremony, was on a day of two funerals. (I say scripted because attending, being there, is a critical part in all ceremonies.)

“They took in my family and me when no one else would have us. Why would I leave for money and prestige?” So said Mike Pressler, famous for the Duke lacrosse sex scandal of almost a decade ago, when asked why he continues coaching at Bryant University while turning down offers for more than three times his current salary at division one colleges and more prestigious universities.

Last week was a very full one. We entered into the worship service on Easter Sunday having taken a long route through Lent and Palm Sunday to the services of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Lent has (by grace, through fasting) loosed us from the distraction of good things that can delay us on our journey and has dislodged some things (by grace, through repentance) that so often entangle us as we walk. And so, we journey this week with Jesus, retracing the steps of his final days and hours with a clearer mind and sharper focus, waiting to see again, as for the first time, the marvel of His Holy Week.

Dear Members of New Covenant, Last Sunday we played a short video of Karen James sharing a touching testimony about tithing. If you missed it, you can catch it -- HERE. And this Sunday Fr. Dave McDaniel will share on the same topic. While there are lots of opinions on, and a lot to be said about tithing, I fear I say too little.

As the handcuffs ominously clicked, little Kelly asked, “Where are they taking my daddy?” as her daddy was led from the courtroom to jail. I don't recall how I responded. I was probably as shocked by the immediacy of his exit as was his daughter little Kelly, his wife, Celeste, sister, Betsy, and John and Mary Jane, his mother and father. Too stunned to even produce tears. “Guilty” and away he went.

Most of the three years of Jesus’ ministry took place along the Northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Here He did most of His teaching, preaching, miracles, and fed the 5,000. Most of His disciples were from this region. But just before He took His disciples on His last trip to Jerusalem, where He knew the Cross awaited, He left the quiet, pastoral hills of Galilee for a two day journey to Caesarea Philippi. Why?

As I prepared for this Sunday I ran across an older BLOG that laid the ground work for much that I want to discuss on Sunday. I am including excerpts of the key points that I found helpful and have also included a link to the entire article, Missional: More than a Buzz Word by Brad Brisco.

BOGO. I’ve never understood how that acronym gets used. I see and hear it frequently. My grocery store loves it. It means “buy one, get one.” I know that. But that doesn’t seem to be newsworthy. Most (all?) economic transactions don’t let you “get one” until you “buy one.” I’m told by people who care for me in spite of my questions that the word free is implied and understood. By most (all?) people. BOGO actually means BOGO (Free).

Dear New Covenant, We are writing to invite you to 9 o’clock. Beginning in February, we are taking a fresh look at adult formation by presenting four new series at 9:00 am in the Parish Hall. Our format deserves a word of explanation. Glenn, Sheryl, Clint and I will take a Sunday each month and develop a theme or topic. Listed below are two ways to see what is coming. The schedule shows you who is teaching each week. The descriptions tell you what the focus of each module will be.