Pastor Hannah writes a letter to the congregation every month, which is published here and in the Newsletter.
The gong and cymbal are very large and very noisy instruments. They had to be, because they often were used to notify an entire town of a town meeting, approaching royalty, or an approaching army. But in the case of speaking without love, they are simply instruments being banged on by a child with no understanding or care for their created purpose.
I re-shared a post on Facebook the other day that said, “I need to get back in shape but I’m kind of waiting to see if the world is going to end before I put any real effort in.” Now that produced a light hearted laugh. In the meantime, I just get more and more unhealthy as the world continues to spin on.
For the first time in my life, I found myself waking up on Christmas morning all by myself with no friends or family around.
In Jewish tradition, they have a practice called Midrash. Essentially, this is a practice where you fill in the blanks of biblical stories. When you read scripture, do you ever imagine beyond the written text? What is not being said that could have taken place?
It’s a boy! We would like to formally introduce you to Lincoln Todd Loughman.
It’s a… Boy? Girl? Soon we will find out! The day is quickly approaching when we will be welcoming a new member into our family. Todd and I have prayed and tried for four and a half years for this.
It is good to be seen, isn’t it? Whether by a 4-year-old or a 40-year-old, it is good to know that someone sees you.
I prayed for you. In October 2019, I requested a move on behalf of my family. Though this was a very difficult request to make, it was without a doubt a Spirit-led decision. After I made my request, I began to pray for the type of church that I would want to call home if my family and I were searching for a place to belong.
My last pastoral letter to the good people of Sewickley UMC.
Long… long ago… long before I realized I can’t sing a note… can’t carry a tune in a paper bag to save my life, I tried out for chorus. I was in the 5th grade. Mrs. Pandolph called each student up to stand beside her and sing while she played the piano.
I went to the Leetsdale Giant Eagle the other day to pick up a few items. There was very little meat and bread, there were no eggs and no doughnuts, and of course, no toilet paper. By now, we are all getting used to the empty shelves we are finding. We have never seen anything like this! In a matter of a few days, this thing has gone from “wash your hands and cover your cough” to a significant lifestyle change that most of us have not experienced in our lifetime.
These forty days, (not including Sundays) invite us to journey inward and to take inventory. And as we do so, we wonder how could we have collected so much stuff? Some of it is good and certainly worth keeping. We also must own the fact that we need to dispose of some trash we have gathered.
As we step into the month of February, it has given me pause to reflect on the past. For you see, this month, I turn 66.
She could not see our sister in her beautiful white wedding gown, she could not see her walk down the aisle, and she could not see the spectacular setting of the wedding reception. She was in total darkness.
It’s the same message every Christmas. We preachers get to declare to all kinds of people that on this day, long ago, a Savior had been born, and He is for YOU.
When she was very little, he would pick her up, hum a tune, and dance with her around the room, and he would tell her, “I love you, little girl.”
All these years later, I fear much of what we learned as a result of 9/11 is being lost to time and apathy. Today, there are those who never heard of 9/11. Others simply know about the events of September 11, 2001 through history books and the stories their parents and grandparents tell.
It seems part of everyone’s recent conversations centers around the changing season. Everyone has their opinion. Some (like me) are lamenting the ending of the shorts and flip-flop season. I hear many bemoan the fact that soon darkness will fall on this part of the earth as early as 4:30 pm. Others, like my grandchildren, are eagerly anticipating fall. Emmelia tells me it is her favorite time of year.
I know I am dating myself, but with this recent heat wave, I suddenly found myself humming the tune to Nat King Cole’s 1963 hit, “Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer.”
I was pleased to receive an invitation to attend the Quaker Valley Commencement. It was a very moving and memorable experience. The speeches offered by some of the graduating seniors were filled with heart, strength and emotion.
