Author: Pastor Nick
Forty-seven years of ordained ministry, beginning for twelve years as a Jesuit priest, thirty-two as a United Methodist Pastor.
Spiraling Light
Merry-Go-Rounds are circles. Sometimes, that’s the way we see life–going around in circles. Actually it’s spirals that we are experiencing– ever widening arcs of light and love. In thi... Read More
The Future of Joy
Belief in the Resurrection comes as a pure and simple gift from God. The joy we experience is far different from the world’s experience of happiness. Inner Joy is the flower that blossoms forth from... Read More
Jesus’s Entry into the Heart
We explore the ways in which the eternal quality of Palm Sunday affects us all. Reference is made through the writings of Walter Brueggemann in his book “The Prophetic Imagination” which helps us ... Read More
Prodigal Divinity
Here is perhaps the most powerful of Jesus’s parables: the Prodigal Son–so familiar, yet so much urging us to go deeper as we spread silence between the verses. We pause and experience Selah t... Read More
“Twins in the Womb”
You’ll find a thought-provoking parable, “Twins in the Womb.” I recited two poems based on the spiritual thoughts of Meister Eckhart. Here is a link to a sample of the book on Kindle: “... Read More
“Rock Climbing”
When we become still—really still—when we are aware of the present moment, thoughts and feelings just slowly move away like the clouds. It’s a moment in which we can place our foothold as th... Read More
“Piggyback”
When we ride on the back of someone in a piggyback, we yield to the movements and the energy of the person giving us the ride. Jesus has triumphed over temptations similar to ones that we experience. ... Read More
“Listen to Him!”
There’s no need to “freeze the frame” that holds on to a unique experience of the presence of God. Today we learn that moment by moment we move from glory to glory. Pastor speaks about what ... Read More
“Non-Violent Violence”
The Impossible becomes possible when we realize that we’re not doing, but rather God is doing through us. When we surrender our control for outcomes and flip open the gates of God’s love, ... Read More
At the Brink of Joy
“In the face of suffering, one has no right to turn away, not to see. In the face of injustice, one may not look the other way. When someone suffers, and it is not you, he comes first. His very ... Read More
“About Face!”
Through a slow movement of our imagination we ponder Luke 5:1-11 the story of the call of Peter, James and John by the lakeshore. They did an “About Face” in their lives as fishermen and s... Read More
“How to Find Joy in Suffering”
When our eyes pop wide open with US News, where do we turn? Peter in his first letter moves us beyond the various emotions that well up to the joy of knowing that the Lord God has this world In His ca... Read More
“God Is a Verb”
God is Change, and in the end, God prevails. But meanwhile …Kindness eases Change. Love quiets fear. And a sweet and powerful positive obsession Blunts pain, Diverts rage, And engages each of us In ... Read More
Selections from Worship
We welcome these dedicated women who sing for the Glory of God. Tiffany Anastasatos – Beverly Karlovich – Lisa Riccardi The Gospel of the Marriage at Cana is told as indeed it is, “G... Read More
“Homing Pigeon” – An Alphabyte
Alphabytes are object meditations that follow the Church Year in alphabetical order. This one is for the Third Week in Epiphany.... Read More
“Gold” – An Alphabyte
Alphabytes are object meditations that follow the Church Year in alphabetical order, this one for the Second Week in Epiphany..... Read More
“Fruit of the Womb”
“The more I ponder the story of Jesus, the more convinced I am that it’s about a radical inclusivity that threatened and still threatens all who are invested in exclusivity of any kind, but partic... Read More
“The Herod Syndrome”
We consider the various ways in which the story of Herod becomes the story of us in “The Herod Syndrome.” We free the story from its literalness to become a parable of what we are facing in the wo... Read More
Spiritual Fertility
The Virgin Mary is presented as the perfect, waiting receptacle for what God is going to do through her. She is the paradigm of each of us, man or woman, to wait upon the action of God in our lives.... Read More
Prophecy and Joy
Last week we spoke about the U-Turns that we need to take in our understanding of what John the Baptist means by repentance–turn your way of thinking around. The prophets themselves make U-Turns fro... Read More
Make a U Turn!
The Woolly Mammoth: Extinct! The “Woolly Prophet,” John, coming at a time when people might have thought that the era of the prophets was extinct–Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel–Extinct! Not... Read More
“To Follow Thee More Nearly”
We wait for the coming of Jesus…but stop: Jesus is already here! We are the ones that need to come to Jesus. The sermon has two bookends: “Day by Day” from Godspel, and the familiar ... Read More
“Kings and Queens: ALL OF US!”
Like the parting of the Red Sea, our differences move aside so that the power of Christ our King can lead us to the other side where we live in peace and unconditional love for one another and for all... Read More