by Phil Miller– Your former pastor, Rev. Lee Hull Moses, must be hopping busy this week. Her office is responsible for organizing the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which starts this Saturday morning and runs through the noon hour next Wednesday. This year Des Moines will host the Assembly. A long… Read More →

by Phil Miller– Sometimes, change is practical—like changing your tires when they’re old (let’s hope) and worn out. I walk past a husband and wife who have just put on the puny-looking spare. They’re stuffing their injured tire into the car trunk. Whether they can redeem the flat is yet to be determined. For today,… Read More →

by Phil Miller– Our responsive call to worship for the past few weeks recites a verse written about 300 years ago by Isaac Watts: Join in a song of sweet accord . . . Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God. Flip the words of Watts and you might say: Let all… Read More →

by Phil Miller– MapQuest steered me south on Martinsville Road and then across Battleground Avenue onto David Caldwell Drive. Who was David Caldwell, I wondered. No, I didn’t Google him. I came across his name again in Newell Williams’ book, Barton Stone: A Spiritual Biography. (In case you don’t know, Barton Stone was one of… Read More →

by Phil Miller– My Pentecost sermon referred to “Everything’s Alright,” a song from Jesus Christ Superstar. Another song from that work is called, “What’s the Buzz?” Eight (8) times the apostles repeat the question: What’s the buzz? Tell me what’s happening. Jesus replies: Why should you want to know? Don’t you mind about the future?… Read More →

by Phil Miller– In my first sermon, I expressed my wish to get to know you. Not merely to get acquainted. Not only to learn of your interests, hobbies, and skills. But to hear the story of your faith development, of your relationship with First Christian, of your hopes for the church. Let me share… Read More →

by Melissa Guthrie Loy– Kids these days…they’re pretty awesome. They are kind and thoughtful. They are imaginative and hopeful. They are helpful and responsible. I’ve written about my children before–Stephanie, Tommy, Josephine. But I’m thinking about Ben and Trent, Nick, Taryn, Jack, Olivia and Elizabeth, Lawson, Abiah, Amna, Bella, George and Charlie. There’s also Harper… Read More →