This is how President Reagan concluded his farewell address: “My friends: We did it. We weren’t just marking time. We made a difference. We made the city stronger; we made the city freer; and we left her in good hands. All in all, not bad — not bad at all.” President Reagan here was making [...]
Author Archives: Pastor Colin Landry
Our Understated God
October 19, 2011 – 3:07 pmYou Must Because He Kant
October 6, 2011 – 5:41 pmImmanuel Kant, one of the dead guys, divided all there is into two categories: the noumenal and the phenomenal. Who cares, you say? Just a couple of long words borne into the world, you say? Well let’s see … I’m phenomenal. My writing is phenomenal. I play phenomenal basketball. But lest you think I’m boasting, [...]
Solutions to Our Discontent
September 30, 2010 – 8:26 pmWhat is God’s solution to our discontent? Well, I’ll give you three but all are less pill than regimen. In other words, these are ideas to train into your thinking, a way to contentment that has to be learned. First, Paul knew only the cross, and Christ crucified. To wit: Paul took from the cross [...]
Sources of Our Discontent
September 30, 2010 – 8:25 pmOne of the main points of the first Corinthian letter, and thus a real message from God to the church today is captured in chapter seven, verse twenty-one: “Do not be concerned about it.” If I could say again: “It’s ok…Settle down.” And again I say, “Take it easy.” Corinthians is written to people who [...]
I am of Paul
March 10, 2010 – 2:50 pmA pastor settles on one of two versions of salvation he will emphasize. The first salvation is that from a sub-Christianity. Let’s sketch an image of ‘sub-Christian Bill.’ Bill has grown up in an understanding of Christianity that is (the kindest word for it) diminished. He is truly joined to God through Christ, but has [...]
Psalm 13
February 17, 2010 – 10:01 amPsalm 13 is a lament—a category of prayer that you are surprised to find in the Bible, since there is in it the potential for God to be thought of poorly. Here the psalmist is confused, impatient to the point of exasperation. Four times he declaims, “How long?” to God. We are not sure of [...]
Spirit in the World
November 23, 2009 – 6:14 pmNevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning [...]
But the Hour is Coming
September 26, 2009 – 7:45 pm“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” – John 4:23,24 Jesus says to the Samaritan woman that [...]
Library Announcement
September 15, 2009 – 11:14 amOur church library is almost completed, and books can now be borrowed. Thanks to all who have contributed volumes and have worked to set up the library, including especially Allie Thompson, Kelsea Molitor, and Melita Matzko (from a distance!) I said almost: we still have a few things to do. 1) place bookplates in the [...]
As Kingfishers Catch Fire
April 6, 2009 – 12:06 pmA more eloquent version of what I was trying to say in “Go for it,” by Gerard Manley Hopkins: As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme; As tumbled over rim in roundy wells Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name; Each mortal [...]