Category: Uncategorized

According to an often-referenced legend, when Napoleon Boneparte was leading the French army, a summer heatwave struck with debilitating effect.  One of Napoleon’s aides asked the general what the appropriate action would be.  Napoleon’s response was to have the army make encampments under the shade of the trees.  However, there were not many trees to… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective May 16, 2024

Is it just me, or does it seem like people are a little bit more on edge than normal these days, with less margin for grace, and quicker to respond with anger?  It feels like, when given the opportunity to see the cup as half empty or half full, people are more likely to just… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective May 9, 2024

There has been a considerable amount of work done on our historic church building over the last two years.  The final bit of work, prior to a fresh coat of paint, is the steeple, which needed new siding and a new roof.  Unfortunately, as can happen with a wooden structure that is 140 years old,… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective May 2, 2024

There is something romantic, adventurous, and appealing about living on an island without a bridge.  I’m not suggesting that it is universally appealing, but there are quite a few folks who are really drawn to the idea of escaping the mainland for the road less travelled, so to speak.  They start out as visitors, and… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective April 25, 2024

I recently received a phone call that brought me tremendous joy.  A friend who has had a very difficult life, including time in jail, had finished the sentence and was back in society as a reformed and changed person.  The voice on the other end of the phone was happy and hopeful, taking complete ownership… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective April 11, 2024

One of the great blessings of living on this relatively small island is that the shoreline creates the boundaries of our community, and if you live somewhere within the confines of the high ground, you have enough in common with the other island residents to foster relationships.  While each of us may live within a… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective April 4, 2024

On the Christian calendar, today (Maundy Thursday) and tomorrow (Good Friday) represent some of the most challenging aspects of the Christian faith.  On that Thursday, Jesus humbled himself before his disciples and washed their feet, including the feet of the disciple who would shortly thereafter depart with his freshly-cleaned feet to betray Jesus, condemning Jesus… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective March 28, 2024

With the advancement of communications technology, we find ourselves sorting through a veritable avalanche of words and images.  Before the invention of the moveable-type printing press, books were difficult to produce, and words had to be copied by hand.  But with the printing press, now books and newspapers became easier to create and distribute.  Typewriters… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective March 21, 2024

We live in a finite world, and each of us is constrained by limitations on resources available to us.  Some of those resources, such as time, are fixed for each of us, as no one has more hours in their day than anyone else.  Other resources, such as money, are not so evenly distributed, but… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective March 14, 2024

Most people are familiar with the commandment that we love our neighbors as ourselves, but have you ever noticed that sometimes, the further your neighbors are from you, the easier it is to love them?  Life can get messy sometimes, and there have been times where all of us have done things that we are… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective March 7, 2024