by James Melson | Dec 17, 2018 | 2018, Weekly Reflection
Vickie and I recently returned from a week in Western Europe. One of the highlights of this amazing trip was visiting the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, Spain. The visionary architect Antoni Gaudi began to work on the church in 1883 and devoted the next 43...
by James Melson | Dec 8, 2018 | 2018, Weekly Reflection
Hope and light are powerful symbols of this season in both Judaism and Christianity. While Christians began to observe the season of Advent, our Jewish brothers and sisters celebrated Hanukkah. I recently saw two photos related to Hanukkah that spoke to me about the...
by James Melson | Dec 3, 2018 | 2018, Weekly Reflection
The season of Advent started yesterday. This is the time in the church year that leads up to Christmas. However, it is about much more than counting down the days until December 25. While the culture around us emphasizes hectic shopping and holiday activities, the...
by James Melson | Nov 26, 2018 | 2018, Weekly Reflection
Thanksgiving weekend is a time when millions of people gather with family and friends to give thanks to God. In a recent edition of The Atlantic magazine, there is a story about a different kind of Thanksgiving gathering. An interfaith group of about 200 people made a...
by James Melson | Nov 19, 2018 | 2018, Weekly Reflection
Earlier this week, several members of Congress including John Lewis recommended the Rev. James Lawson for the Congressional God Medal to honor his decades of service in teaching and practicing non-violence. Rev. Lawson is a United Methodist pastor who served as a...
by James Melson | Nov 12, 2018 | 2018, Weekly Reflection
On this Veteran’s Day, our nation expresses gratitude for all those who served our country through military service, especially those who served and died during times of war. We often hear the phrase “Support the Troops” as a call not to question our country’s...
