Homecoming Sunday is almost here! - I can hardly believe that it is THIS Sunday - and that means it has been 1 year since I formally accepted Bethel's call to serve as Pastor as well as Minister of Music.

I love doing it - it's challenging and rewarding  -  and it's definitely the place for me to be.

Let's fill the place and raise the roof Sunday  - Bethel is Home!

Bethel SLM Sermon 17August2014 Q2

Bethel Sermon "Walking on Water" August 10, 2014

Hi gang: I've just added my "official" Blogspot Blog to the Bethel Website navigation, so that Bethel website visitors can drop in to the blog easily.

I invite you to post comments and have fruitful discussions about what I post here. I hope to enable a positive, uplifting forum.




I often will post the Bethel sermon videos as available, along with other things that interest me, tweak my curiosity, and inspire me.

Tonight (Tuesday August 12) at 7pm Bethel joins together at Eden Gardens Fusion Restaurant in Upland (392 E A St, Upland, CA 91786) for our monthly "Pub Theology". I'd like to get us talking about our vision for Bethel and our present needs and priorities...let's make it a mini-retreat/planning evening. Please join us! All Bethel members and friends are welcome (and plan to have a great meal - prices are reasonable)

Bethel Sermon "Struggle and Blessing" August 3, 2014

Bethel Sermon 20July2014 A Place of Blessing

Food for thought...

Stained Glass Window at Bethel

While preparing for tomorrow's sermon and wonderful Baptism & New Member service at Bethel UCC, I came across these  quotes/reflections. I hope that they enrich your spirit...

Barbara Brown Taylor, 21^st century

"We are the dreamers of the promise, set apart to bless all the families of the earth….It comes when all our conniving has blown up in our faces and our luck has run out." This is "where the dream touches down, reminding us that we sleep at the gate of heaven, where it has pleased God to be with us…where the bright rungs of God's ladder touch down on our own   ordinary pieces of the earth"

Mother Teresa, 20th century
"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."

Jerome, 4th century bishop
"The words the Lord spoke--'Lest gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them'--leave room for repentance. We are advised not to be quick in cutting off a fellow believer....'"

Georgia Harkness, 20th century
"The tendency to turn human judgments into divine commands makes religion one of the most dangerous forces in the world."

Thomas Long, 21st century
"The simple fact that the church always has its share of hypocrites does not make the gospel hypocritical, nor does it destroy the integrity of God."