One of the purposes of art is to make the gospel live for the people in the artist’s time. Caravaggio accomplished this for his generation, and John Granville Gregory did the same almost 400 years later. Borrowing Caravaggio’s composition of The Incredulity of Thomas, Gregory updated the characters to look like a group of young men you might see hanging out at a sports bar. Continue reading Still Doubting: Some thoughts on Doubting Thomas
The first story, set in Capernaum, deals with people enjoying power and status both from the Roman realm and the Jewish hierarchy.
The scene in Nain is decidedly more rustic and lower class. There is a “large crowd,” but there are no dignitaries, no intermediaries, no prepared speeches.
Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t bother with such distinctions. Continue reading A Study in Contrasts: The Centurion and the Widow of Nain–Luke 7:1-17
Today is All Saints Day, a day to remember those women and men who have set us an example of faithfulness and trust. Our scripture lesson this morning introduces us to one such faithful saint, the widow of Zarephath. You might be interested to know that in his very first sermon, delivered in his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus singles her out as a woman of faith who was chosen and blessed by God. If Jesus has such a high regard for her, perhaps we should learn more about her and her faith, for she is one of those saints that we celebrate on this day. Continue reading An Unlikely Saint: The Widow of Zarephath ( I Kings 17: 8-24)
Preached at United Reformed Church of Clifton on Sunday, September 20, 2020 To hear this sermon preached follow this link. … Continue reading Count the Stars: A Sermon on Genesis 15: 1-11 and 17-18
“In the Kingdom of God, we are not to assume the role of greedy bouncers at the door checking IDs. Rather we are to take our place on our knees, shoulder to shoulder with this woman of great faith, pleading ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord.’” James Boyce Continue reading A Woman of Faith: Matthew 15:21-28
This story isn’t about Peter’s faith or lack of it. This story is about Jesus, the Savior. What is required is not faith in your ability to walk on water. Rather, what is required is that you cry out, “Lord, save me!” Continue reading Walking on the Water: A Sermon on Matthew 14: 22-32
“We give up something for Lentto make room for Godto do something new in our lives” Many of us are … Continue reading Billy Martin’s Story: Giving Up Something for Lent
The eternal God is your refuge,and underneath are the everlasting arms. —Deuteronomy 33:27 When I go to the circus, I … Continue reading Flying through Life on a Trapeze
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells, and the deeper the wells brighter Thy stars shine; … Continue reading Stars from the Bottom of the Well
by Pastor Mike Weber
The thoughts, prayers, and brain-dumps of a Presbyterian pastor-mom
[the stars]
Musings & Meditations
conversations about Jesus and community
I am an artist and illustrator. And these “episodes” are quick sketches of and stories about people that I meet or have met over the years. I do the drawings first, keeping them simple and spontaneous but (hopefully) sophisticated. They are with perhaps one or two exceptions, line drawings done with a fine-line pen. I started doing these drawings in business meetings. That expanded to doing them in waiting rooms or while traveling, as a way to remember the people I met, worked with, or just observed from afar. Once I’d done a number of these sketches, I began to wonder about the people they depict. What might they be really like on the inside? What are their dreams? Their fears? Their secrets? Since I did not know the people I was drawing (or because I did not know them well), I felt ill-at-ease about asking personal questions. And so, I began to create stories about these people, based on what I imagine their life is like. That way, each drawing became a kind of psychological adventure; I never knew, when I sat down to write, what I was going to find. Like the drawings themselves, the stories are not to scale or photographic. If there is any prevailing theme, it is this: people keep their inner world well-hidden and probably for damn good reason. A secondary theme: making stuff up is much more fun than reality. And in a way, that is the real truth in all this. If you would like to learn more about me or my work please send a note. Our email: myron.gilbert@att.net
Celebrating what makes Brittany unique
exploring ideas - inspired by texts - expressed in images
Hannah's daily devotional
"Diamonds are found only in the dark places of the earth; truths are found only in the depths of thought." (Victor Hugo, Les Miserables)
thoughts on life, teaching, and faith
Searchings: Sacred and Secular
Essays, poetry, sermons and images to spark your own creativity.
Writing Down The Bones
Explorations in Practical Theology and Youth Ministry
Musings and Wonderment 