Other Seas

December 8, 2008.Reading time 10 minutes.

t’s the morning after Kathleen Baskin-Ball’s memorial service, and I just wanted to dash of a quick word of gratitude… First, to Kathleen…for her incredible life, for the way she chose to die, and for the powerful worship service that she herself designed prior to her passing. To her family, and especially Bill and Skyler…and […]

As If We’re S’posed to Know (A Tribute to Kathleen Baskin-Ball)

December 4, 2008.Reading time 30 minutes.

“My, but we learn so slow And heroes, they come and they go And leave us behind, as if we’re s’posed to know Why…” — Joe Walsh (The Eagles), “Pretty Maids All in a Row” “But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs […]

A Sadness Beyond Words

November 23, 2008.Reading time 4 minutes.

Many of you will have already heard the news posted below from Bill Ball, about Kathleen. But I got two Facebook messages today from folks who were “out of the loop,” and so I thought I’d post this to my blog. Anybody who is a Methodist in North Texas will be heartbroken by this news. […]

How Jan Sanders Spent All Saints Sunday

November 3, 2008.Reading time 4 minutes.

Jan Sanders the widow of Judge Barefoot Sanders. Barefoot, as some will recall, is the legendary Federal Judge from here in Dallas who died about a month ago. Northaven has been Jan and Barefoot’s spiritual home for more than three decades, as they raised a family and served the community, and we were honored to […]

Judge Barefoot Sanders Memorial Service

October 2, 2008.Reading time 1 minute.

Sometimes soon, when time permits, I’ll blog more fully on the life of Judge Barefoot Sanders, our friend and church member who died this past week. His memorial service was at our church a week ago today, and sometime this week we’ll be adding a video page to the church’s website so that folks can […]

Goodbye, Stratopastor

August 21, 2008.Reading time 12 minutes.

Last Saturday, Rusty King and I were honored to sit in on a little “family time” at First United Methodist Church of Sachse. It was a time of prayer and song that the church had shaped, as people began to deal with their shock and grief over the death of Russ Noland two days before. […]

The Reach

August 19, 2008.Reading time 9 minutes.

It’s been a strange couple of days filled with life and death. My Treo says that today I’m having lunch with Russ Noland. I plan to be there. I’m having a hard time believing he won’t. In the midst of that sadness, a beautiful story of the beginning of new life and hope. August 13 […]

Russ Noland

August 15, 2008.Reading time 1 minute.

I’ve just returned from San Antonio, and several days there, to some shocking news: Russ Noland died of a massive heart attack last night. Russ, as many will remember, was one of our guitarists in Connections. He was also my colleague, serving as minister of FUMC Sachse for many years now. The unfolding news is […]

Goodbye, Randy Pausch. Thanks for playing all your cards.

July 26, 2008.Reading time 2 minutes.

Randy Pausch died yesterday. It was totally an expected event, as he was suffering from pancreatic cancer. He was 47-years-old, and leaves two small children and a loving wife. And it was his incredible gift to them that ended up inspiring the world. If you have not heard Randy’s gift, you must –you absolutely must— […]

Bill McElvaney

June 4, 2008.Reading time 21 minutes.

(Note: Today is William K. McElvaney’s 80th Birthday. This June also marks his 50th year in ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. At Northaven this weekend, we celebrate both those milestones. Bill was the pastor of Northaven in the late 1960s, and is one of two emeritus pastors that call the church home, even […]