Category: Mike’s Monday Message

Blessing of the Backpacks  ‘The lord blessed us with spiritual blessings’ Ephesians 1:3 Dear Friends, Summer may not be over, but school vacation is! Charleston County students return to school next week. This Sunday, August 9, during worship all students are invited to bring their backpacks and come up front to receive a blessing as they begin the…

Grace and Guilt  ‘My guilt has overwhelmed me, its a burden too heavy to bear’ Psalm 38:4 Dear Friends, In planning my sermons for the next month, I use my Presbyterian planning calendar to read the lectionary texts. I decide which reading I’m going to use and then I come up with a theme and from that a sermon…

Dancing too Close “We played the flute for you and you did not dance” Matthew 11:17 Dear Friends, Throughout my ministry I have always thought of dancing as a metaphor for doing ministry. Sometimes I dance too close and sometimes I am dancing not close enough.   The reason I have always encouraged folks to join the church…

Lent: A Season for Adding or Subtracting? “When you fast, do not look somber, as the hypocrites… instead put oil on your head and wash your face so it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting…” Matthew 6:16 Dear friends, As you enter Lent this year, are you TAKING ON some spiritual discipline to…

Preparing for Lent “Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not cover up my iniquity”   Psalm 32:5 Dear friends, This week as we gather to receive ashes and begin 40 days of reflection on sin…our sin and the sin of the world, I am so grateful for being in a church that follows…

“Souper Bowl of Caring” and the Super Bowl “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat” … Matthew 25:35 Sunday, to recognize the Super Bowl we collected soup and those many cans of soup will be delivered this week to ECCO (East Cooper Community Outreach). Some folks might take issue with the amount…

Mandated Rest “Come unto to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Matthew 11:28 Dear friends, I was all ready for our worship service Sunday… bulletins printed, sermon done, insert for the congregational meeting already printed and in the bulletins… and here it is Monday morning and alas, those bulletins…

Good News “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news” Isaiah 52:7 We call the gospel ‘good news’, and I would like to think that almost all communications within the church are bringing good news but…. How do we get the news to the folks in our congregation? That…

Teach your children well… “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds: tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you…

Baptisms and Blessings ‘You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’ Luke 3;22  Dear friends, Yesterday on the church calendar was “baptism of the lord Sunday” and my sermon focus was on baptisms and blessings. We are blessed to have several baptisms already scheduled for this new year and it is exciting…