Evergreen Connection
How Clean Is Your Cup?
When looking at a passage of scripture, sometimes it’s hard to pull out the main point. Especially when reading text from an author like Paul who apparently felt that run on sentences were an integral part of spurring on the early Christians. Our community group joked about how Paul likely would have received a C+ […]
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Out of Sight, Into Heart
Spend just 30 seconds imagining trying to change terminals at LAX with 12 large suitcases, 4 carry-ons, 2 young children and you will have no lack of motivation to pray for Seth and Jessica Howell today. However, by the time you read this they will likely be in the air on their nine-hour flight to […]
Continue ReadingHard to Watch
I’ve been trying to figure out why I can’t stomach watching these presidential candidate debates. Just hearing them talk makes me feel almost physically ill. Kristin can handle it somehow and even looks forward them. I suspect that having changed so many diapers when our children were young strengthened her defenses against nausea. I’m thankful […]
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Come Hear From the McMartins This Saturday
After serving with CrossWorld in Haiti for 32 years, Bruce and Cindy moved to the country of Senegal in partnership with the Union of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Haiti. The churches in Haiti recognized their need to fulfill the Great Commission by sending missionaries; therefore Bruce and Cindy have partnered with them to help train […]
Continue ReadingWhen They’re Planning Your Funeral
The basic supplies I use when helping plan a funeral are a yellow pad, a box of tissues and a listening ear. As a pastor it is not uncommon for me to be involved in such preparations but it has never become just another one of the tasks of the day. It is sobering, sacred […]
Continue ReadingTo All the Lonely
Ever I walked into the house Friday night around 7:30pm and I had a most unusual feeling: I wasn’t glad to be there. Normally I can’t wait to get home and walking in the door is a like a welcoming hug. But Friday night our house was dark and lifeless. The kids were gone, either […]
Continue ReadingChores Galore
Ever wonder what a senior pastor does on an average day? So do I. But I really only know what I do and Tuesdays are chore days. It begins outside: pick up scattered trash, water the new trees, return shopping cart to Walgreens and put the dumpster away after last night’s pickup. Then the inside […]
Continue ReadingThe Long Expected Party
“When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.” That opening line of JRR Tolkien’s famous The Lord of the Rings trilogy has been on my mind as we are on the doorstep […]
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Two Months of Missions Matching
In the spirit of back-to-school, here’ s a quick pop quiz on the subject of EBC Missions. Who are our missionary appointees to Peru? (Half credit if you can only remember their last name. Extra credit if you can remember their two girls’ names.) What mission organization are they going with? (Hint – we have […]
Continue ReadingI Turned 50 This Week
No, not Pastor Toby (although his turn is coming next January), but me, Sharon, the one who sends this email update out every week … which is why you didn’t get it on Tuesday, as you are used to, because I was out of the office on vacation, well, turning 50 with my family on […]
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