We know the story, it took Thomas Edison something like 10,000 failed attempts to invent the light bulb. And, who can forget the story of the now ubiquitous POST-IT Notes? The adhesive created by 3M wasn’t sticky enough for any useful application…   a failed experiment. A...

What’s in it for me! Isn’t this the question of our times? “What’s in it for me?” captures our self-interest, our capitalist spirit. “What’s in it for me?” drives our consumer expectations and decisions. We look to be served, entertained, and made...

In 2006 I led our youth group on our very first mission trip. We went to Thousandsticks UMC, Kentucky. Pastor Steve Springer was giving us our instructions and ‘pep-talk’ for the upcoming week. He said something that has remained with me all these years: “Keep your eyes open...

BEHOLD! We don’t really use this word anymore, so its hard to deliver the impact that the word is supposed to carry. BEHOLD! It’s a word that mixes surprise and wonder with commanding attention. BEHOLD! Is a single word that means...

We have a phrase to describe being committed…   we say we are ‘giving 100%’ or we are ‘giving it our all’, or we are ‘all in’.  Sometimes, when we use the phrase, we are simply describing our investment in something we love but which may...

I was chatting with one of our church members after worship this past Sunday and he was telling me how tired he was from decorating the exterior of the house for Christmas. I can totally relate…   the lights, the ladders, the inflatables, the extension cords…  ...

The other day I saw a really great t-shirt. It was a military olive-green color and it had the word VETERAN prominently displayed across the front. The man wearing the shirt was ‘older’ (in his ‘50’s’ maybe), looked to be in great shape, and he had a big smile as he...

One of the greatest Thanksgiving traditions that so many in our culture participate in is this: giving to and serving those in need. Statistics show that, during Thanksgiving, food pantries are filled to overflowing, abundant baskets are prepared and delivered, community dinners are cooked and...

During the month of November we will be celebrating our faith in Jesus Christ here at St. Andrew. There are lots of ways to describe our commitments and investments in the journey of faith, hope, and love. Collectively, these commitments and investments are called 'Marks of Discipleship'. In...

This is a test…   Who are you? You might give your name, or you might give your defining role (like mom, or firefighter, or mayor), or you might give your future dream (aspiring artist, future CEO). But, those are incomplete answers…   maybe even knee-jerk...