Pastor Brian's Blog

Consecration Sunday is November 12, 2017.   Our Guest Leader this year is the Rev. Chris Walters, president of the United Methodist Foundation of the Northern Illinois Conference.   Chris has a degree in fiction writing from Colombia College and previously taught 7th Grade English.  He has graduate degrees from Northern Seminary and Chicago Theological Seminary.   Chris enjoys vacationing and spending time outdoors with his wife Rev. Eun-Hye Choi and their son Tim.  The Leadership Dinner  (by invitation) will be Sunday, November 5 at 6:00 p.m. at Jilly's Cafe 2614 Green Bay Rd. in Evanston.   Rev. Walters will give a short inspirational message. On  Consecration Sunday, November 12 , you are invited to one of the  Celebration Meals  after worship, which will be a  special  prepared meal, not a potluck.  Reservations for the brunch (9:30 a.m.) or luncheon (11:30 a.m.) are requ...

Last night, a man opened fire on a crowd in Las Vegas from his hotel room where at least 23 guns, explosives, and thousands of rounds of ammunition were found.  He killed 59 people and injured 527 others attending an outdoor concert before killing himself. So far, the motive for this mass killing is unknown.  The senselessness of it escapes our understanding. There is a dark side in the human condition that puts us all at risk.  We are all a mixture of good and bad.  The temptations of sin and evil would disrupt and destroy the peace and harmony that God intends. An excerpt of a prayer by Walter Brueggemann acknowledges the danger: “We are reminded that the world is deep in instability, that the world is saturated with ready violence, that our ease is without full guarantee.” 1 After the tragedy in Las Vegas, we might ask: “Where was God?  Why would God allow this to happen?” In my view, God is not responsible directly or indirec...

Dear Friends in Christ, Grace is one of the most important words in our vocabulary of Christian belief.  It is both the love and power of God.  In his sermon “Free Grace,” John Wesley said that grace is “free in all, and free for all.” 1 Some people do not consider themselves “religious.”  That may be how they see themselves.  However, it does not change how God sees them.  As United Methodists, we affirm that God’s grace is for all people.  In other words, God loves every human person, and God’s power is working in each person’s heart.  Grace is what prompts God to bless us and forgive us and guide us toward God and what is good. When I was looking for an image that conveys the idea of “all people,” I found one that shows a diverse group of adults.  Among them are different genders, people of various ages, heights, skin colors, and cultures.  Whether they are professing Christians or not, religious or not, God’s grace is...

Jesus invites you and me to be his disciples.  He said: “Come, follow me” (Matthew 4:19).  Following Jesus means learning from him and walking in his footsteps in a way that is relevant today.  In October, I will lead a new series called “The Way of Jesus.”  The inspiration comes from Jack Seymour, professor emeritus of religious education at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Seymour led a Bible study in June during sessions of the Northern Illinois Conference.  He described six dimensions of the way of Jesus: loving God and neighbor, living in God’s grace, looking for the realm of God, resisting the time of trial, proclaiming the resurrected one, and calling people to the banquet table.  These dimensions are points for theological reflection, as well as living practices.  In Teaching the Way of Jesus , Seymour notes: “Jesus was an amazing teacher.  He connected with people’s experiences.  He questioned, told stories,...