Her name was Gail, and I met her at our church picnic on the lawn about 10 years ago. She was sitting in the bushes at the edge of the parking lot. I was leaving the picnic with a full belly and heart after a morning of worship and fellowship at church and a lunch of fried chicken. I noticed her...
“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.” “Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. “ God has made it abundantly clear children have a mighty role...
A note, concert tickets, a piece of jewelry? What’s a gift you have been given that you have never forgotten? For me it is a bright pink, plastic flamingo necklace from the NC State Fair. It’s quite tacky, really. But it was given to me 15 years ago by my five year old daughter who...
Dear Selwyn Friends, For the Israelites, a sanctuary (mikdash) was set apart as a holy place of beauty for refuge and rest. Familiar mountain tops, caves, and sacred riverbeds hosted many an altar. Having crossed the Red Sea, there was no turning back for the Israelites! Facing a long journey...
Back in October, Selwyn celebrated its first baptism in the Sanctuary since before the pandemic. As the song "I was there to hear your morning cry" was being practiced I caught a lump in my throat. It always gets me and reminds me of when my son was baptized. It was such an incredible joy to...
Dear Friends of Selwyn Avenue Presbyterian Church, We can refuse to look away. We can ask ourselves the hard questions. We can address our privilege and fragility. We can stop explaining and justifying. We can re-educate ourselves. We can listen. We can listen. We can listen. We...
Dear Friends, A diverse and broad network of more than 75 faith leaders and clergy across the Charlotte region join our voices in solidarity and hope. We share a commitment to the well-being of our many congregations and neighbors. This statement intentionally transcends partisan and...
Everything feels different, doesn’t it? The novel coronavirus has shaken our world and has proven that 2020 is not going to be what we expected. Together as a nation and world, we find ourselves living with a day by day mentality. Grieving the constant changes, we find ourselves sitting...
Psalm 90 has been and is one of the most profound meditations in the Bible and in human history. It is about Time and Eternity. We don’t ponder this kind of mystery very often, unless we must. We are more often driven by deadlines (curious term—DEAD lines) than not, and Sabbath...
I showed up at Montclaire Elementary school at 3pm as planned. After being shown the routine by the Greater Enrichment Program (GEP) director we ended up at the playground. It was a beautiful and sunny fall afternoon and the kids were swarming around the jungle gym. As the kids started to line...