RickPage

Change June 28, 2016 As we face change.  By "we" I refer to both you and me.  Maybe you wonder what sort of change I might be talking about.  Well, right now there is a lot of change.  For me, we look to once again crossing the country and joining a new ministry.  There is lots of change there, and uncertainties as well.  For the congrgation we leave, there is lots of change.  a minister to whom they have grown accustomed.  There is also plenty of uncertainty, "Who will we get next?" "What if we can't find anyone?" "There is danger facing us when you leave!" "What if?" For the congregation we journey to, "He looks good now, but will he fit here?" "What if I don't like him?" "What if?" Oh, I nearly forgot about you.  Yes, I'm referring to you, those who are not part of the groups i have mentioned thus far.  you are facing some sort of change.  If not n

Hello, Goodbye June 26, 2016 This week has been an emotional roller coaster.  We started the week saying yes to a new congregation and ministry.  We ended the week bystarting to say goodbye to another.  Now we begin the long process in ministry of moving from one to the other. We made the very emotional announcement to the congregation here at First Christian Church.  It did not help that they had planned a birthday celebration for me for after service.  There were tears, kind words and prayer.  Some were shocked, a couple were not surprised.   We had the elders and wives over for dinner last night to break the news to them - it was hard, much harder than I thought.  We said goodbye to another congregation eleven years ago.  One would think it gets easier.  It does not, and I don't think I would much like myself if it did become easier.  Paul's farewell to the Ephesian elders comes to mind: "And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed wit

Appalled June 20, 2016 I was preaching in a Tennessee congregation while traveling from Raliegh to Nashville on Sunday, June 12, 2016.  One of the congregants shared about the Orlando shooting that morning.  Having eschewed television news last year, and long had the practice of avoiding anything beyond the study of Scripture on Sunday mornings, the announcement was a surprise to me.  Perhaps the greatest surprise was that I was not shocked by the news.  I guess it is possible that the acts of terrorism, even on domestic soil, have become too common. It did not take long for practically everyone to opine, for the attention hounds to stand in front of a camera, seek having a microphone thrust in their face, or for those embracing the electronic age - to resort to social media.  Ironically, just as I am doing now.  However, I did want to be different.  I wanted to wait until the dust had cleared somewhat.  Too often what is reported by the news outlets is little different from t

Character June 6, 2016 I've stopped watching television coverage of the elections - too painful.  Our local paper and what is gleaned from news apps on my phone and computer have sufficed.  Still, it's painful.  A father defending his son for what some - apparently Dad is one - would say is a minor indiscretion.  Others object, saying what he has done is particularly egregious.  Parents on trial in the court of public opinion for lax supervision; yet others for making an emotional, rather than logical decision in discipline. It's the finger pointing which makes it all painful.  Politicians hurling vicious accusations against one another.  By the way, is a lie still a lie when despite proof otherwise, one still believes the charge against another to be true?  I wonder if this is the real casualty in a relativistic society.  Have we reached the point that we destroy each other because we have abused truth to the point not that there is, or is not, absolute truth,