Musings

By Sean Dietrich Sunrise on Lake Martin. I’m usually the first one awake. I rarely have any company in the mornings. I wake up with the chickens. Most mornings, I sit on my porch alone. Just me and the feral cats. This morning, however, I had company. I heard small feet walking...

By Pastor “Doc Doug” Stauffer Labor Day is profoundly significant. It shows honor and respect for workers’ contributions across our nation. It is a fitting time to delve into what the Bible teaches about work. From the beginning, work has been a part of God’s design for humanity. In Genesis...

By Sean Dietrich A television is playing in a Birmingham bar. The talking head is shouting politics. Most folks in this joint are below thirty, and aren’t even watching TV. They’re transfixed with the opiate glows of their smartphones. The bartender looks thirteen. He stares at the television screen and says...

By Pastor Doug Stauffer Every celebrated Independence Day finds patriot hearts swelling with pride and gratitude for our freedoms enjoyed in this great nation. Even after the fireworks, parades and family gatherings, let us take a moment to reflect on the true essence of freedom as expressed in the Holy...

Adapted by Pastor Doug Stauffer In the beginning, God established the home with a simple design, as stated in Genesis 2:24: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” However, the world, the flesh, and the...

By Sean Dietrich The boy holds his fish as high as he can. His father hugs him and kisses his hair. They make a fine picture together. I’m watching a father and son fish in a state park. They stand shoulder-to-shoulder. After a few minutes, the boy’s rod starts to bend. He screams,...

By Sean Dietrich Easter Sunday. An Episcopal church in Birmingham. Vaulted ceilings. Ornate masonry. A pipe organ. A choir dressed in lacework cottas. Individual stained-glass windows that cost more than tactical government helicopters. The whole works. My wife and I arrived late. The place was loaded with parishioners in pastel colors....

By Pastor Doug Stauffer Life’s journey is guided by the decisions we make, shaping our path and defining our future. The Bible offers invaluable advice on making wise choices. James 1:5-8 stresses the importance of seeking God’s wisdom before making a decision. The book of James also says that God...

By Guery Clendening It is Spring! The flowers are blooming! I love this season. To me Spring speaks of new beginnings. When I lived in Illinois, the winters could be harsh at times. I remember during one winter, looking out my office window at a very large tree. With snow...

By Pastor Doug Stauffer Like so many other churches, we establish a new theme every year. Interestingly, our theme for 2020 was pretty predictable—“20/20 vision” (ugh, right before COVID-19 reared its ugly head). The vision that year seemed blurry at best. Last year, it was from James 4:8: “Draw nigh...