a word from the pastor

Church vs. Youth Sports

Many years ago, serving as youth pastor of a large church with a large Christian school, I became acutely aware of how easily sports can become an idol demanding one’s full devotion. It was frustrating to see students give so much to sports and so little to church. I became resentful and angry at...
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Do I Love Football Too Much?

I grew up with football, and it’s been a part of my life for over half a century. In my humble opinion, American football is the best sport on the planet (with golf a distant second). As the 2022 season nears another glorious end with only three playoff games left, I found myself wondering why we...
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Praying for Damar

Last Monday night, like millions of other football fans, I sat down to watch the highly anticipated matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. About nine minutes into the first quarter, Bills safety Damar Hamlin, after making a tackle, stood up and seconds later fell to the ground....
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Funny Name, Big Game

In the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island in Washington State a disgruntled 13-year-old complained to his dad that there was nothing to do. The dad, Joel Pritchard, suggested making up a game. “It’s what we used to do when we were kids,” he said. As the story goes, Joel’s son, Frank sarcasticall...
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A Comeback for the Ages

I love golf. I love to play the game, and I love to watch it on television. Sadly, a bad shoulder may well keep me off the course for the entire year. But along with millions of others worldwide, I sat glued to the tube on Sunday to witness one of the greatest comebacks in sports history: Tiger W...
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