Ten women spent last weekend together in a backwoods bnb rental with the most rusty well water ever. Why? We shared a desire for soul-level renewal, for laughter and light-hearted shenanigans, for a time to be fully honest about how we’re really doing. There was very little structure in order to make space for real […]
settle down
After weeks and months of discernment, prayer, interviews, and resumes, and more hours of conversation than we can count, Kevin and I are ready to “settle down…cultivate gardens…and seek the peace and prosperity of the city” (Jeremiah 29:5,7). In deciding to #ChooseYpsi, my family and I are living as everyday missionaries and placemakers in our […]
On The Way
Sermon preached Sunday, August 8, 2021 at Ypsilanti Free Methodist ChurchAudio recording available here We are in the middle of a fantastic series called The Table, where we’ve been exploring how to follow in the way of Jesus by practicing hospitality. This is one of my absolute favorite topics to learn and read about, to […]
God With Us: Mary’s Story
Take a deep breath and close your eyes for a just a moment. Travel with me back in time to a place of dusty roads and leaky roofs, a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business. The homes are fashioned from mortar and stone, the windows let the night sounds and biting bugs inside, the […]
How my mission statement encompasses everything I believe about the Gospel.
Years ago I pieced these words for our worshiping community to serve as an anchor. “This is why we gather,” I reiterate every Sunday: to be healed and made whole by Jesus and to bring that healing and wholeness into the world. I had spent months praying and discerning and fussing with the language. I […]
I don’t want to wipe these tears
I like to read before going to bed. About a year ago I resurrected my love of novels and quickly realized how good it was for my mind and my soul to delight in another’s story for a time. Typically my going-to-bed book of choice is an enjoyable, lighthearted read. I’m not ashamed to admit […]
Demolishing Dividing Walls
Last week we read from Luke 13, one of the many accounts of Jesus breaking the “rules” and stepping all over cultural expectations. In that passage Jesus was brazen enough to heal on the Sabbath. The Synagogue (church) leader was outraged at Jesus’ disrespect for one of the Ten Commandments. But I wonder if the […]
When to Break the Rules
So here’s the thing about God: God doesn’t come up with a list of rules for the fun of it. God is not a tyrant or task-master. He’s not some sort game-master dictating rules for his personal enjoyment. God desires to be with us and to invite us to partner with Him in building His […]
Fully You
One of my favorite parts of being a pastor is observing your lives and noticing how God is changing you. I know…you’re probably thinking, “Sure Pastor Mel, you think I’m becoming more loving, but you don’t know the whole story. You don’t know what it’s like at home or at work.” And you’re right. I […]
Reflect + Reset
I love spending time reflecting on what God has been doing in my ordinary life. Writing helps me process what’s going on in and around me. In putting my thoughts into words, I can pause to observe the seemingly-hidden work of God and begin to notice what kind of fruit my life is producing. It’s […]