Changes Here At The OG “WhenEFTalks”

June 26, 2025.Reading time 2 minutes.

So, many of you reading this have likely already figured this out; but over the past several months I’ve made a shift in my longform writing. It used to be the primary place I’d write was here, at my own “When EF Talks.” But some months back, I started writing at Substack. And, I’m not […]

The Wedding of George and Jack: Ten Years Later

June 26, 2025.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Today, I’m out with a ten-year remembrance of the Obergefell Decision, legalizing Same Sex Marriage in America.
It was a big day for two members of our church, who were the first legally married couple in our County, and possibly our State.

READ IT ON SUBSTACK.

Bishop Richard Wilke

April 21, 2025.Reading time 7 minutes.

I realize that the entire Christian world is waking up this morning to say something about Pope Francis. And I’ll ask you to trust that I will indeed get to my grief over this death, and what it means to the world. But deeper than that, for we United Methodists, was the death of Bishop […]

The Theology of the Smirk

February 8, 2025.Reading time 31 minutes.

If you find yourself recognizing JD Vance’s smirk, or even agreeing with it, right now you are doing great harm to our world. I know you’ve been taught otherwise. I know you’ve been taught the toxic lessons that White men are supposed to “lead,” and everyone else supposed to follow.

When God’s Love For Immigrants Makes People Mad

January 27, 2025.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Here is my sermon from January 26, 2025 at Kessler Park UMC. It weaves together the Gospel of Luke and the conflict between Bishop Mariann Budde and President Trump’s supporters.A written essay that also speaks of these issues is here.

Bishop Budde and Progressive Christianity

January 22, 2025.Reading time 18 minutes.

The debate surrounding truth in America has extended to differing interpretations of Christianity, particularly highlighted by Bishop Budde’s sermon advocating mercy for the LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities. This polarized response reflects a larger issue: the recognition of Progressive Christianity, which, contrary to assumptions, constitutes a significant minority within American Christianity.

Andrew McGregor’s Dallas Morning News Essay

January 8, 2025.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Our KPUMC member, Andrew McGregor, has written a moving essay about our work with the homeless on subfreezing nights. It was almost a full page in yesterday’s print edition.Andrew sums up beautifully the work we have been doing for these past five years. Find it here.

The Candle of Peace

December 18, 2024.Reading time 14 minutes.

“In meditation we catch ourselves waging violence on parts of ourselves. This is the seedbed of War. All violence is the act of acting out our own violence toward our own heart.”— Jim Finley I’m doubling-up this week, to catch up with some Advent meditations for you. This one is about PEACE, typically our second […]

The Path To Hope in a World of Cynics

December 7, 2024.Reading time 21 minutes.

This Fall, I found a social scientist whose new book has been deeply helpful to me, as I try to unpack Hope this Advent season. The book is “Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness,” by Jamil Zaki.

Reminders On Thanksgiving and Worry

November 27, 2024.Reading time 19 minutes.

The angels were holding a washcloth over my mouth, and I was struggling against them.My arms and legs were thrashing.I was suddenly afraid that I could not breathe. I had awakened to find them basically on top of me, and I didn’t know what was happening. The angels were using a spray bottle to pour […]