Pastor Brian's Blog

Dear Friends in Christ, Have you ever written or received a love letter?  It’s a way of communicating how you feel about someone or learning how someone else sees you.  Writing your thoughts and feelings is one way of doing theological reflection.  It is called “theology by heart.” 1   You might write a letter to God about something important on your heart.  You could paraphrase a passage of Scripture, putting the text in your own words.  John Wesley wrote his personal journal with the intent of sharing it with other people.  His journal entries were reflections of his faith in daily life.  Writing as a form of theological reflection places a focus on one’s interior spiritual life.  It is deeply personal and can reveal how the Holy Spirit is working one’s life.  Best of all, it is very accessible, in the sense of being relatively easy to practice.  Some may say...

On Jan. 25, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Montgomery v. Louisiana that any child sentenced to life without parole is retroactively eligible for review.  For more, see the article from The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth . Many of us at Trinity became more aware of the human impact of such sentences when Xavier McElrath-Bey spoke at Trinity Church on Jan. 13 as part of the Clampitt Lecture Series for 2016.   You can watch a video of Xavier’s moving personal story on the   Trinity Wilmette YouTube Channel . Xavier was 13 years-old when he was convicted for his part in a murder.  He was sentenced to 25 years.  His 14-year-old co-defendant was sentenced to life without parole.  When he was released in 2002, Xavier had lived half of his life in prison.  Now he has dedicated his life to juvenile justice reform.  As I listened to Xavier talk about growing up in an abusive home in a poor neighborhood where gangs w...

In February, I will lead a series for Trinity Church based on Part Two of Handel’s Messiah .   Part Two of Messiah focuses on Christ’s suffering, resurrection, and ascension.  The longest section deals with Christ's "Passion," the scourging and agony of Jesus on the cross.  Part Two prominently features the choir, which may be suggestive of Christ’s suffering for the sins of the whole world and the offer of salvation to all people.   On Palm Sunday, March 20, the Chancel Choir will offer most of Part Two with chamber orchestra and organ during 10:30 a.m. worship. Feb. 10 Ash Wednesday Psalm 51 Feb. 14 Behold the Lamb of God John 1:29-34 Feb. 21 He Bore Our Griefs Isaiah 53:4-5, 9-12 Feb. 28 All We Like Sheep Isaiah 53:6 Mar. 6 He Trusted in God Matthew 27:38-43 Mar. 13 He Was Cut Off Isaiah 53:8 Mar. 20 The King of Glory Psalm 24

Dear Friends in Christ, Although we are putting away the Christmas decorations, the new life we have in Jesus Christ continues.   The beginning of a new year is a good time to see life from a different perspective, such as baptism.   Sunday, January 10 is the commemoration of the Baptism of the Lord.   On that day, we are planning a congregational reaffirmation of baptism.   Confirmation students will also be stepping forward in faith.  In baptism, we gain new life with Christ by dying to the old ways of sin and living for God.   We are incorporated into the Body of Christ and become Christ’s ambassadors in the world.   In this sense, all baptized Christians are anointed “by water and the Spirit” for ministry in Christ’s name.   Here’s how the United Methodist teaching document on baptism puts it: “Through baptism, God calls and commissions persons to the general ministry of all Christian ...