What is Your Only Comfort?

Gosh I Love My Parents

On Sunday night my parents were in a dreadful car accident. We still do not know much about the actual event, although I did learn yesterday that they crashed head-on with a diesel tanker truck on a secondary two-lane highway. I do not know how it is possible that either of my parents survived the crash, except for God's grace and the fact they were wearing seatbelt and the airbags deployed. I am so grateful that they are alive and suffered such relatively minor injuries. My mom broke some ribs and her hand. She's quite bruised and battered, but she was released from the hospital late on Sunday.

Dad was driving and took the brunt of the crash impact. He was flown by helicopter to Morristown Memorial Hospital. He has some internal bruising and broke his leg in four places. Emergency surgery on his leg went well. One of the harder aspects of it was finding a rod long enough to match the length of his femur. it will be at least a few more days until Dad is released.

Yesterday I sent an email out to several friends of my parents, which has been disseminated to countless friends (and I'm sure a bunch of folks who don't even know us). Thank you all for the countless emails, telephone calls and visits. We are truly blessed with a wonderful and amazing group of friends. Your prayers are a tremendous comfort during this time.

I'll be adding updates here, and am making up a list of people who would like to receive additional updates.

Sermon for April 27, 2008

This morning's sermon at the Greenpoint Reformed Church is based on Psalm 66, Acts 17:22-31, and John 14:15-21. Pastor Ann Kansfield is preaching.

Sermon for April 27, 2008

This morning's sermon from the Greenpoint Reformed Church is based on Psalm 66 and Acts 17:22-31 and John 14:15-21. Pastor Ann Kansfield is preaching.

Room for All song

Some of you are aware that I am on the board of the Room for All, an organization working toward full inclusion of LGBT people in the Reformed Church in America. Recently, Lorraine Nelson Wolf, an RCA member and musician wrote a song in honor of the work that Room for All is doing. Hopefully, if I've worked the technology correctly, you should be able to listen to it here. It will also be available for download on iTunes, and for congregations who would like to sing the song, music and lyrics are also available.

Sermon for April 20, 2008

This week the Greenpoint Reformed Church welcomed five new members into the life of the congregation. Following worship, we held our annual congregational meeting and elected a new elder and a new deacon.

Today's sermon is based on John 14:1-14. Pastor Ann Kansfield is preaching.

Sermon for April 13, 2008

Sunday's sermon from the Greenpoint Reformed Church is based on Psalm 23 and John 10:1-10. Rev. Jennifer Aull, preaching.

A little bit of heaven

While I'm not a fan of a literal understanding of John 14:2, "In my Father's house are many mansions," I admit to the occasional fantasy about what such a house might look like. As one who won't discount the potential that in God's sovereign providence all might be saved, my image of the heavenly house is one that would be increasingly full, yet with a flashing "vacancy" neon sign next to the door. In my imagination, Martin Luther rooms next to Pope Leo X and John Winthrop is across the hall from Anne Hutchinson. Wolves lie down with lambs and everyone sings kumbyah.

Well, I couldn't help but giggle at something I could only imagine happening in heaven... Watching today's Papal ecumenical service, Jen and I jumped with delight when we saw our very own ecclesiastical leader John Thomas, President of the United Church of Christ. And who's sitting right by him?

Yup, it's Pat Robertson.

Must be a little heaven not three miles away from Greenpoint!

Worship for April 6, 2008

Worship this morning was absolutely wonderful thanks to having the Red Hook Ramblers jazz band with us. The music was so great that we decided to upload the entire worship celebration. Hope you enjoy it!

The sermon of the day is based on Luke 24:13-35. Rev. Jennifer Aull celebrated communion, Ann Kansfield preached and Jason Benjamin led the music.