Category: Ponderings

We have spent the last several weeks walking through the quiet, reflective shadows of Lent. We have remembered, reflected and we’ve followed the heavy steps of Jesus toward the cross. But now, the air has shifted. Hopefully, your reflection has led to sense ofrenewal. Ready to burst forth in the same manner spring flowers do.Easter… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings April 2026

Lent invites us on a 40-day trek into the spiritual wilderness alongside Jesus. Unlike a manicured park with paved paths and handrails, this terrain is rugged, raw and often unpredictable. It is a journey we choose to take, even when the urge to “phone a friend” for a ride back to our comfort zone becomes… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings March 2026

If you have been in worship on various Sundays over the years, you have heard me mention Howard Thurman. Howard Thurman was an American author, philosopher, minister, theologian, Christian mystic, educator, and civil rights leader. He is also known as a spiritual and intellectual mentor of numerous men and women who have influenced civil rights… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings February 2026

Waiting in Hope: A Pastoral Reflection for Advent Advent is a season unlike any other. While the world rushes toward Christmas with lights, shopping, and celebrations, the Church invites us into something countercultural: waiting. Waiting is not passive—it is a spiritual discipline. In Advent, we learn to wait with hope, patience, and expectation, just as… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings December 2025

I was reading a heartwarming story about a woman’s first experience with a church that was hosting a pet blessing service. The idea of attending a worship service was foreign to her, but she did practice spiritual meditation and other forms of acknowledging God, as well as living the best part of herself. I imagine… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings October 2025

September not only marks the return to our regular schedule of events but also heralds the arrival of cooler temperatures. In addition, we enter the Season of Creation on September 1st. The Season of Creation is a liturgical season where the children of God unite in spirit for a worldwide celebration of prayer and action… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings September 2025

We have journeyed through the desert on our way to Jerusalem and pondered some difficult questions concerning anger at God and anger at those who permit evil to flourish and fail to speak out even in the smallest way. We have celebrated Easter and remembered that we are People of the Resurrection with a faith… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings May 2025

As we move into the month of April and the depth of spring, we will witness nature coming back to full life following a peaceful rest during fall and winter. We can also experience this same rebirth or resurrection as we experience more light from the sun, warmer temperatures, the bloom of colors in our… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings April 2025

Please note: This pondering concerns some of the members of Encanto Community Church UCC and not others. If you are not experiencing these stresses, I pray that you continue to find peace and comfort in your lives. I am not choosing one group of congregants over the others but am concerned about all of you… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings February 2025

“May the New Year bring you blessings of love, joy, health, peace and prosperity.” We are off and running at the start of a new year. Welcome 2025!Some have started to put away the decorations from Christmas and others will start in the next couple of days. Bowl games and playoffs are underway and regular… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings January 2025