The Light May be Trying to Find You

When I was a kid I always thought of the disciples as the kids in the top of their class. I figured you’d have to be the cream of the crop to get that close to wonder-boy Jesus. So of course when Jesus called them to follow him they’d drop their knaps...

Down in the Ditch in a Time of Social Distancing

The priest and the Levite didn’t stop to help the poor man but I bet they had a good reason. Maybe they were frightened. The robbers may have still been on the loose ready to attack and what good would another victim be to a man lying in a ditch?...

Back to the Future

I was working with Isaiah’s grand vision of the future in a coffee shop on the day after Thanksgiving when this song came over the sound system – [sing “Let It Snow”]. I find it difficult to look forward to the future in a season that has become m...

All Will Be Thrown Down

I read this text on Sunday afternoon right after I walked through the nearly renovated fellowship building next door. “All will be thrown down.” It echoed through my head as I walked up the stairs to my study and looked at all the photogra...

Repeat Miracle

When you want to cross a river, you look for the place where a tributary drops down from the ridges. Silt is deposited there, making the river shallower. That’s where river crossings happen all through the Old Testament – at the fords, those shallower...

Angel, Unannounced

I wish angels gave some warning as to their arrival, especially this one. Gabriel is the slayer angel – God’s warrior. I only know this because a rabbi responded with shock the first time he heard the details of this story from Luke. We were standing ...

The Power of Light

Isaiah looked around at his world and saw mostly bad news. Cities burned with fire (1:7). Land devoured by other nations (1:7). A nation on the verge of destruction like Sodom and Gomorrah (1:9). Most of the first 39 chapters of Isaiah tell some version o...

Antiheroes: Eve

It’s hard not to like Eve. She’s bright and articulate, a good theologian, and not afraid to face serpents single handedly. What’s not to like about that? She tests out what’s been handed over to her, refusing to accept without question whatever i...

Instant and Ancient Light

Did you know that we live about 90 million miles away from the sun? We live 90 million miles away from the source of heat and light that sustains all life on this planet. And indeed, we are very fortunate to be in that range, which scientists call the ...

The Body of Christ

If “diversity” had been a buzzword in the Apostle Paul’s day, then Corinth would have set the definition. Corinth had everything. Temples, Greek and Egyptian shrines, Jewish synagogues and the Roman imperial cult. Corinth had a reputation for having...

Learning How to Love from Evangelicals, Recovering Alcoholics, and Jesus

It’s often said that the God of the Old Testament is an angry, vengeful God while the God of the New Testament is loving and kind.[1] Jesus is the loving, gentle, caring one; the flow-y-haired father-figure from the ...

Brown Memorial door entrance covered in snow

Activity Cancellations as of Jan. 26

UPDATE JAN. 28 Worship will take place this Sunday, Jan. 31, at 11 a.m. Sunday School classes are cancelled. Meditation Circle will take place at 9 a.m., and choir practice at 9:30 a.m. Any hearty souls who want to come with shovels at 9:30 a...

Worship and Activities Cancelled, Sunday Jan. 24

To all Brown Memorial Members and Friends, In the interest of everyone’s safety, all activities for Sunday, Jan. 24, have been cancelled. The following activities have been rescheduled: Annual Meeting will take place next Sund...

The 2015 Christmas Pageant

Copyright by Tim Hughes, December 20, 2015 THE INTERGENERATIONAL BALTIMORE CITY CHRISTMAS PAGEANT of 2015 (Musical introduction begins the pageant. Gabriel is seated at the bar, looking at his phone. Everyone else is off-stage. As musical introducti...

Adolescent Faith

Ah to be a teenager again. To be able to stay up past 10:30 and sleep in until 12 o’clock without any artificial assistance. To adapt to every new technological innovation instead of grumbling about another change. To have your body working properly...

Register for Youth Winter Weekend, Jan. 29-31

Middle and high school youth will return to Massanetta for our Annual Winter Weekend. We’ll play games, explore a theme and worship together, in addition to a day filled with skiing, snow tubing and waterpark opportunities. Cost - $150. Scholarship fund...

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