Monthly Archives: December 2018

I would like to take you to a visit to the Johan Barham Family in Beit Sahour, which is a little town outside of Bethlehem. Johan and his wife, Nadal, both come from a long line of Christians, who have lived in the Bethlehem area for over 800 years. Until 1967, their families lived inContinue reading “Christmas Stories for Our Time”

One of the most fascinating things about the our current interest in the life and meaning of Jesus for our times is that much of what is being written comes from the State of Israel and is being written by Jews. In fact, the output of these writings  is much higher than from so-called ChristianContinue reading “He Will Be Called the Son of God”

I was recently reflecting on the stained glass window in our church, with the Madonna and Child. I was also thinking our my encounter with the Maori Christ in New Zealand.  I was also reflecting on Earl Stanley Jones’s book, “The Christ of Every Road” and his call for a renewal of the church missionContinue reading “Behold A Virgin Shall Bear a Son”

Our text today begins with one of the most prosaic but fascinating sentences in the New Testament. “Now there was a man in Jerusalem who’s name was Simeon.” This is about is common a person as you could ever wish to meet. His name could have been John Doe and it would not has changedContinue reading “Do You See What I See?”

If we overlook the patriotic gore, to use Edmund Wilson’s phrase, the story of David and Goliath has to be one of the worlds most satisfying sagas. Former Dodgers manager Leo Durocher, that great theologian, once said, “Nice guys finish last.” And he was right. But every now and then a baddie or a biggieContinue reading “David, Goliath and the USA”