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			<title>Pastor's Blog</title>
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			<title>Jesus said, “Let the children come unto me.&quot;</title>
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			<description>Of the many joyful and significant events happening this month in the life of our church, I...</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Of the many joyful and significant events happening this month in the life of our church, I especially hope you will pray for and whole-heartedly participate in the Youth Ministry Architects assessment of our children’s and youth ministries.<br />Listening Sessions will be held on May 31 and June 1 at a variety of times.&nbsp; Folks from every perspective and life situation are enthusiastically invited to participate and share your sense of where these ministries are at the present, and how you sense God is wanting them to develop and grow.&nbsp; A “Stake-Holders” meeting will be held on Thursday, June 2, at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary, where all are welcome to come and hear their full report and recommendations.
Jesus said, “Let the children come unto me, for to such as these belongs the Kingdom of God.”&nbsp; Our youth and children are precious and valuable beyond measure to God.&nbsp; Be a part of this exciting time where we will together discern how to love, welcome, and minister to our precious young people even more faithfully and effectively.
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			<category>General</category>
			
			
			<pubDate>Wed, 25 May 2011 23:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
			
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			<title>A Message for Easter</title>
			<link>http://brpc.org/index.php?id=82&#38;tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=47&#38;cHash=0a6bb066986526ec1424576076c313b8</link>
			<description>I recall the Easter evening I walked home, tired but happy for the full day of celebration and...</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[I recall the Easter evening I walked home, tired but happy for the full day of celebration and ministry which was drawing to a close.&nbsp; I saw my neighbor who was in his driveway washing his car.&nbsp; I shouted out his name, and added, “Happy Easter!”&nbsp; He replied, “What did you say?”&nbsp; I again said, “Happy Easter!”&nbsp; After a long pause my neighbor finally responded, “I didn’t know today was Easter.&nbsp; I guess I missed it.”
As we move into the final weeks of the Lenten season, my invitation to you is a simple one.&nbsp; Don’t miss Easter.&nbsp; Don’t miss the day of Resurrection.&nbsp; Don’t miss the day that the stone is rolled back from the tomb and the disciples see something they can hardly believe.&nbsp; Don’t miss the day of new beginnings and forgiveness of our darkest sin.&nbsp; Don’t miss the day that life conquered death.&nbsp; This year, whatever you do, don’t miss Easter.
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			<category>General</category>
			
			
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
			
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			<title>Difficult and Left Untried</title>
			<link>http://brpc.org/index.php?id=82&#38;tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=29&#38;cHash=915ae218bdd44ca9a5c3a4e0bb1df204</link>
			<description>I love how GK Chesterton put it.  “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found...</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[I love how GK Chesterton put it.&nbsp; “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting.&nbsp; It has been found difficult and left untried.”
What do you think?&nbsp; Do we tend to reject the way of Christ, and the life of faithfulness, servanthood, and love to which he calls us, because when taken seriously it leaves us hungering for something more?&nbsp; Or do we give up when we simply find it more challenging, more rigorous, more difficult than what we thought we were signing up for?
In my own journey of faith I find myself constantly tested and stretched.&nbsp; There is nothing easy about committing to Jesus Christ and then actually living as his disciple.&nbsp; Yet the more wholeheartedly I love God and neighbor with all that I am, the more deeply I dive into that lifestyle and orientation, the more joy I find! 
Hoping to see you in worship on Sunday,
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			<category>General</category>
			
			
			<pubDate>Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:24:00 -0600</pubDate>
			
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			<title>Welcome to my new blog!</title>
			<link>http://brpc.org/index.php?id=82&#38;tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1&#38;cHash=2b6eb2de832bff1c697b36fd9dd93910</link>
			<description> As pastor of The Presbyterian Church in Basking Ridge, and as a thoroughly imperfect follower of...</description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[ As pastor of The Presbyterian Church in Basking Ridge, and as a thoroughly imperfect follower of Christ who is seeking to love and serve and be obedient to him with all that I am, this will be a place to reflect with you on faith.&nbsp; 
Where is God in our midst?&nbsp; Can being part of a community of faith, joining together with others who believe and who doubt and who seek, make a difference?&nbsp; And as individuals on the journey, who is God calling us to be and what is God calling us to do?&nbsp; 
Scripture reminds us that, “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”&nbsp; (Hebrews 11:1)&nbsp; To believe in God is a step of trust, a leap of faith.&nbsp; There is no way around that.&nbsp; I remember a professor in seminary who once during class held an apple in his hand and held it high in the air.&nbsp; He said to us, ”Do you have faith that this apple will fall when I drop it?”&nbsp; We all laughed, and said that we did.&nbsp; He let go of the apple and of course it fell.&nbsp; He caught it with his other hand.&nbsp; He then looked at us and said, “You being confident that the apple would fall had nothing to do with faith.&nbsp; Gravity is a scientific fact.&nbsp; It’s a proven law of physics.&nbsp; Faith had nothing to do with it.&nbsp; You didn’t have faith it would fall, you knew it would fall.”
What might it mean for you and for me to trust in a God that can’t be proven in quite the same way one can prove the law of gravity?&nbsp;&nbsp; What might it look like for us to put our very lives, and our future, and our church, in his loving and almighty hands?&nbsp;&nbsp; What might it mean for us to have that kind of faith?
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			<category>General</category>
			
			
			<pubDate>Sun, 12 Dec 2010 23:00:00 -0600</pubDate>
			
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