As I said in Sunday’s sermon, we are guinea pigs in an experiment that has never been done in the history of humanity: what happens when you subject people to unrelenting information? News, think pieces, entertainment, etc. are not only available, they are aggressively pushed out to our phones, pop-up...
- Mar2026
Healthy Skepticism
March 8, 2026
A Time for Fun
March 4, 2026
Once a year, I do a “question box” sermon where the congregation writes down their questions on index cards and I answer as many as I can on the fly. This past Sunday, I reversed that and asked questions of the congregation, in order to identify who we are and...
- Feb2026
Philosophy and Church Accounting
February 24, 2026
“You’re thinking of the place all wrong, as if I have the money bank in a safe. The money’s not here,” says George Bailey. “Your money’s in Joe’s house… and a hundred others. You’re lending them the money to build and then they’re going to pay it back to you...
In Memory of JoAnne Bland
February 24, 2026
Written by: Tim Buckley February 24, 2026 JoAnne Bland of Selma, Alabama, recently died at the age of 72. In 1965, as a young adult, I answered Dr. King’s call to join the Voting Rights Movement in Selma. Arrival at Brown Chapel, in the heart of the public housing community,...
Being Trustworthy in a Time of Corruption
February 17, 2026
As we navigate this perilous time in history, when lies are stated by our highest officials with impunity, when consequences are not forthcoming for crimes, and when new technology emerges that makes it difficult to know what is true and what isn’t, what are the guiding principles you are committing...
“Across the Eras” Service Auction and GALA!
February 11, 2026
It’s simply the social event of the season, Dahhling … If you haven’t already, mark your calendar for Saturday, March 7, think about what you’ll wear, and start writing down what service/event you’ll donate. This is a service auction, which is when each of us offers up something to contribute....
Viola Liuzzo
February 4, 2026
Last Sunday, I talked about Viola Liuzzo, the civil rights (and Unitarian Universalist) hero and martyr. Right now, learning more about the prophetic people who came before us not only honors their stories, it gives us a chance to learn from their lives. There’s much to admire about Viola, so...
- Jan2026
One Foot in Front of the Other
January 27, 2026
What a heartbreaking week, the heartbreak of the killing of Alex Pretti coming right after the heartbreak of the killing of Renee Good. I collect lines of poetry and lyrics of songs in my head, and they pop up often when I least expect them. This week, two dissimilar songs...
Potpourri – Icy, ICE, and Remembering
January 20, 2026
There are so many things happening, this week’s column is going to be a “potpourri” to address them all. First, you may have seen the weather forecast that we may be getting icy freezing conditions this weekend. For those who were here in 2021, this may stir up some feelings,...
Continued Learning
January 13, 2026
I am away at school this week, one of the week-long intensive classes for the Doctor of Ministry degree at Austin Presbyterian Theological School. (And boy, is it intensive – 8 required books, with another 5 recommended.) I’m on the “Leadership for Public Theology” track and this class applies to...