Category Archives: Musings

Love in the Time of Corona

Posted on April 23, 2020 by tmrichmond3

This morning I performed a wedding at our church. Don’t worry, we observed all the rules for social distancing—well, with the exception of the bride and the groom! There were fewer people in the sanctuary for this wedding than there … Continue reading →

Posted in COVID-19, Faith, Love, Marriage, Musings, Relationships, Uncategorized, Weddings | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

To Be

Posted on March 25, 2020 by tmrichmond3

Several years ago I visited a colleague of mine for some advice about my spiritual life. At our first meeting he said, “I am going to repeat a phrase. You meditate on the phrase. You will know when I am … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Current Events, Devotional, Growth, Hope, Lenten Devotional, Musings, Prayer, Psalms, Spiritual Growth, spirituality | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Did Ye Get Healed

Posted on January 8, 2020 by tmrichmond3

  In 1987, the singer Van Morrison, best known for his song “Brown-Eyed Girl,” released an album called  Poetic Champions Compose which included a powerful song called, “Did Ye Get Healed.” You may be surprised to see that the title … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Church Growth, Communion, Compassion, Growth, Healing, Jesus, ministry, Mission, Musings, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching, Relationships, Sermons, Social Justice, Social Ministry, spirituality | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Ecclesiastes for Everyday: Day Nine

Posted on March 15, 2019 by tmrichmond3

 24 There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God; 25 for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For … Continue reading →

Posted in Buddhist Story, Devotional, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes for Everyone, Lent, Lenten Devotional, Musings, Qohelet, Spiritual Growth, spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ecclesiastes for Everyday: Day Eight

Posted on March 14, 2019 by tmrichmond3

18 I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to those who come after me 19 —and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish? Yet they will be master … Continue reading →

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Ecclesiastes for Everyday: Day Six

Posted on March 12, 2019 by tmrichmond3

4 I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes for Everyone, Lent, Lenten Devotional, Musings, Qohelet, Reynolda, Spiritual Growth, spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ecclesiastes for Everyday: Day 4

Posted on March 9, 2019 by tmrichmond3

16 I said to myself, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know revelry … Continue reading →

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Ecclesiastes for Everyday: Day 2

Posted on March 7, 2019 by tmrichmond3

  All my life’s a circle… 3 What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun? 4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. 5 The sun rises and the sun goes … Continue reading →

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Preaching the News (NOT)

Posted on March 1, 2019 by tmrichmond3

  In my previous post I confessed my addiction to the news. Throughout my day I keep up with national and international events, from a variety of sources. I talked about how the news helps form my prayers, and my … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Church Growth, Current Events, Karl Barth, Musings, News, Preaching, religion and politics, Social Ministry, Spiritual Growth, spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Spiritual Politics and other Rare Breeds

Posted on January 2, 2019 by tmrichmond3

  Writing almost 50 years ago, Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk in Kentucky, wrote about what he called political principles spiritualized by the Gospel. In his book Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, Merton’s reflections on society at large, he starts … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Compassion, Hope, Musings, Poor, religion and politics, Social Justice, Social Ministry, Uncategorized, Virtue, Wealth | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment