Pastor on the Edge

Communion Liturgy – Invitation to the Table

Caspar — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:33:28 +0000

A little while ago I got a note back from a pastor who had read a post on Scarlet Letter Bible wondering if I’d ever written any communion liturgies for folks for whom a “transactional redemption model” is problematic. I haven’t. But now I’m going to. Transactional redemption, in a nutshell, is the belief that [...]

New Scarlet Journey Resource for Lent, 2012

Caspar — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:00:51 +0000

If you’ve been looking around for an edgy alternative Bible Study for Lent, 2012, here it is. This is not your flannel-graph Sunday School study book. It kicks off taking a hard look at the divide between the poor and rich, and the marginalization of women even in 2012. It takes a hard look at [...]

The Miracle Church Financial Plan

Caspar — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:23 +0000

On December 15, 2011, the Boston Globe reported about “a financially troubled church” (the Globe’s description not mine), Christ Lutheran Church of Southwick, MA, that had received a half million dollar anonymous donation, with the promise of up to $1 million more in an additional matching grant. The grant came, according to the Pastor, Rev. [...]

My Hat’s Off to Youth Pastors (and Pastors Who Really Do Ministry with Youth)

Caspar — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:51:11 +0000

I had the opportunity to lead a meeting of a small church youth group recently. I think from any view, theirs or mine, it was an epic failure. And it was a great reminder to me of how much I don’t miss doing that kind of thing. At least not the kind of youth group [...]

Merry Christmas

Caspar — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 18:19:31 +0000

I found this the other day and it made me happy. So Merry Christmas. Enjoy.

Wacko Mail

Caspar — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:34:23 +0000

When you’re a Baptist pastor you get wacko mail a couple times a month. Well, I do. I assume it’s because I was a Baptist pastor, because it always comes to my office address. And my wife, who’s a Methodist pastor, never gets these. This one was forwarded to me from the church in Glens [...]

Theology on Tap

Caspar — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 21:46:50 +0000

Tonight is the last of a pilot series of Theology on Tap we’re doing in the North Country Adirondacks. For the past two weeks a few of us have gathered at MacDougall’s Pub on Rte 86, just outside Wilmington, NY. Tonight is the last Tuesday night before the pub closes down for the season. It’s [...]

Scarlet Letter Bible

Caspar — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 19:57:42 +0000

What started out as a series of posts here last month quickly developed into a full-blown project. It’s amazing how some things take on a life of their own! So much so that I’ve hardly had time for anything else. And now the Scarlet Letter Bible has its own site with over 80 posts as [...]

Quakers on Sept 11 FTW

Caspar — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:00:30 +0000

Today, on the tenth anniversary of September 11, I’m indebted to the New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), who in their “Minute on observing the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks” said it better than anyone else: Ten years ago members of al-Qaeda used four passenger aircraft as weapons to [...]

Prayer for September 11

Caspar — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 11:00:03 +0000

From the folks at the Methodist Federation for Social Action, here’s a brief reflection and prayer, in case you’re looking for something to guide your reflections tomorrow: Ten years ago, Americans, and much of the world, were shocked and grieved by the events of September 11. Much has happened in the ensuing 10 years—2 ongoing [...]

7 Signs of a Bad Pastor

Caspar — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:15:24 +0000

Somehow the mysterious inner workings of the Google search engine has ordained that one of the searches that often brings people to the Pastor on the Edge is “signs of a bad pastor.” I imagine that someone looking for these on Google is probably looking for evidence to confirm a hunch about their own pastor. [...]

Post Irene Update

Caspar — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:36:47 +0000

The eastern slopes of the Adirondacks took it pretty hard yesterday. The East Branch of the Ausable River went to 18 feet. (Flood stage is 7.) Our home is on a ridge above the river, so we made out fine. Not so those who lived below. This afternoon we took a ride around to check [...]