Friday, May 26, 2017

Weekly Words - 5/26/17

“They said, '[Folk] of Galilee, why do you stand up looking up toward heaven?’” Acts 1:11

Dear FBCD Family & Friends:

As you know, this is Memorial Day weekend. With this holiday, for many, the summer season begins. Over the past week I’ve begun some of my annual pre-summer routines which include cleaning out files and organizing and reorganizing my office. The change of a season often inspires me to reflect upon work and projects previously accomplished as I look ahead to future opportunities for service and ministry.

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week many members and friends of FBCD helped to clean out pipes and parts of a sister congregation’s old pipe organ. These pipes and parts now are stored at FBCD in the recesses of the stage in Miller Hall. I found it ironic that as I was cleaning out my own office space, we were filling up space with an instrument of significant size.

Isn’t this the story of life? When we make space, we usually fill it. Over the next couple of months the day-to-day pace of ministry will slow down at FBCD...but not too much. In this season, my prayer is that we will appreciate the many things our church family has accomplished and that we will look ahead and be open to the opportunities we will have to build up and upon the ministry of our historic congregation.

This coming weekend we will celebrate Ascension Sunday. The story of Jesus ascending is rich with imagery. If we’re not careful, like the people in this story, we can get caught gazing ahead or looking up for too long and miss the opportunities right before us in the present moment to serve and minister in significant ways.

It’s good to look up or ahead...but it’s also important to stay aware always of the mission that quite literally surrounds us.

I hope to see you this Sunday for service. Please consider who you can invite to join you in your pew. They’ll be glad you did!

Peace,







First Baptist Church of Denver is a welcoming and affirming, inclusive Christian community that embraces diversity, engages personal faith, and serves with compassion.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Weekly Words - 5/3/17

Dear FBCD Family & Friends:

"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed...” 2 Corinthians 4:8

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.”
― Helen Keller

The above words resonate within my soul this week. Sometimes life seems overwhelming. I wonder what life is like for you today?

If you’re overwhelmed. Be encouraged. Remember the ancient words of scripture above. There is always a way forward. And...remember the words spoken by Hellen Keller, “When one door of happiness closes, another opens..."

I’m believing these words to be true for me this week. I invite you to claim them as yours too.

Know you’re in my thoughts and prayers. If you haven’t planned yet, plan to be at FBCD for service this Sunday. It will be good for you and for everyone else present too. Your life makes a difference.

Peace,







First Baptist Church of Denver is a welcoming and affirming, inclusive Christian community that embraces diversity, engages personal faith, and serves with compassion.