Confession of Sin
Holy One,
You empower of us with gifts so that we may live fully into our callings as your people. Forgive us for the times we’ve misused those gifts. Grant us your grace for the times we’ve failed to use them at all because we’re afraid, embarrassed, or because it is just too hard. Forgive us. Grant us grace once again as we seek a reset for our lives. Help us use our gifts for the furtherance of your kin_dom on earth.
Assurance of Pardon
Hear these words of assurance: No matter what you’ve neglected to do, whether you’ve intentionally or unintentionally failed to be the person God created you to be, God loves you! God’s grace is for you. You are God’s delight. You are God’s beloved. Share this love with your neighbor.
Tim strives to share God’s extravagant love for all–no matter what & without strings. Seeking to follow the lure of the Spirit, Tim writes about what it means to be a follower of Jesus in an era where Christianity has come to be associated with hatred and political wedge issues. “Heinous things have been said & done (& still are) in the name of the One who breathed in the Divine,” notes Tim, “but Jesus shows us that God loves extravagantly.” Following the teachings and life of Jesus is about inclusion not exclusion. It is about compassion, grace, and admitting no one has all the answers. It is about responding lovingly to the best of our human ability. It is about people not institutions. It is about social justice. It is about caring for creation. It is about being who we were each created to be. Tim is a former early childhood educator, a runner, a hiker, a devoted husband, father of two adult children and their spouses, and a grandfather of two perfect babies. Tim serves as Lead Pastor of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Albany, Oregon. He writes from home, from the coffee shop, and wherever the trail leads him.
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