There are several steady coffee mugs in my life. In our kitchen cabinets at home, we have quite a stable of coffee mugs. Coffee mugs seem to just accumulate over time. Recently, we cleared some of them out because we were running out of room on the shelves. I’m willing to drink coffee out of … Continue reading Pastor Note #44 — Coffee Mugs and Robust Coffee, Churches and the Powerful Presence of Jesus
Tag: church life
Pastor Note #43 — Blood on the Pew (A day in March 2000)
It was Tuesday noontime. I had gone into the big, dark Romanesque sanctuary of my church in downtown Columbus, Ohio for a weekly prayer meeting with a handful or so of people, mostly not members of my congregation but rather folks who worked downtown and constituted part of my weekday ancillary congregation. As I sat … Continue reading Pastor Note #43 — Blood on the Pew (A day in March 2000)
Pastor Note #39: A Statement of Faith
God is not an idea or a concept but is rather a Personal Being of infinite power, beauty, and goodness. He is a Being who desires to be known and reveals himself to us. He makes himself known to us through the works of his creation and through direct experience of his Holy Spirit. … Continue reading Pastor Note #39: A Statement of Faith
Pastor Note #38–A Prayer at the Closing of a Church
I was the second to the last installed pastor at Central Presbyterian Church in Columbus, Ohio. On November 20, 2011, the last service of worship was held in that 151 year old building by that congregation that was founded in 1839. I participated that service along with my successor and my predecessor pastors. I prayed … Continue reading Pastor Note #38–A Prayer at the Closing of a Church
Pastor Note #37 — A Boy on the Streets, Part 1
[A story from my time as a pastor in downtown Columbus:] He wanted milk with the sandwiches I had given him. I had offered him lemonade, soda, and orange juice. But he wanted a glass of milk. When he drank it, it left a mustache on his upper lip. After a moment, he wiped it … Continue reading Pastor Note #37 — A Boy on the Streets, Part 1
Pastor Note #31 — “Does God Ever Say, ‘Ooops!’?”
The church of Jesus Christ does not mark time in years but in generations, in centuries. One year in the eyes of God is but a fleeting moment. That kind of long timeframe is not natural for human beings. Few of us ever experience life over even one century, much less centuries. This … Continue reading Pastor Note #31 — “Does God Ever Say, ‘Ooops!’?”
Prayer Note #26 — A Pastor’s Sunday Morning Prayer
Lord, my emotions are squirming around in me in a very uncomfortable way. I know that that is caused by a wide range of pressures, stressors, foolish thoughts, genuine problems, and a real sense of overload, of having more things in my mind than I can keep track of. Important matters are slipping through my … Continue reading Prayer Note #26 — A Pastor’s Sunday Morning Prayer
Prayer Note #25 — A Pastor’s Prayer for Sunday Morning Worship
Father, we gather today to worship you. That is our identity not merely an action that we take. We are the people who worship you, O blessed and singular Trinity. Nurture that identity in us. Enter our being as a people and as persons and by your Holy Spirit infuse that true identity deep within … Continue reading Prayer Note #25 — A Pastor’s Prayer for Sunday Morning Worship
Pastor Note #24 — Getting in the Habit of God
Some things you must understand in order to do them. Surgery is one example of that principle that comes to mind. Conversely, some things you must do in order to understand them. Fasting is a prime example of this latter principle. From an intellectual perspective fasting is hard to understand. All sorts of plausible reasons … Continue reading Pastor Note #24 — Getting in the Habit of God
Prayer Note #16 — A Pastor’s Sunday Morning Prayer
Lord, I know less than usual what to expect during worship today. Help me to trust you more than usual. Pour your Spirit out in fullness on our worship. Quiet the fears the people may have at your Spirit's coming upon us, and instead open us to receive him in all power, grace, … Continue reading Prayer Note #16 — A Pastor’s Sunday Morning Prayer
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 