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Are you sure Amicalola Falls is the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail? Seems as though I remember a certain southern governor who follow the trail all the way to Argentina. LOL. With 10 grands, I will have to try your numbering system
Keeping the Numbers Straight
“Okay, Number Five,” I said. “Let’s go find a waterfall.” Now, as way of explanation: My grandmother used to drive me up the wall. She was always calling out to me, saying, “Frank, Bobby, Bill, … ah, Guy.” I mean I loved her to death; you’d think she would know my name instantly and not confuse...
"Wunderbare!" Which is almost my entire vocabulary in German.
My Son and His Dance Company, Pilobolus, On German TV
My little boy is in the red shirt.
From one old retired liberal preacher to another, preach on brother!!! Peace
Morals Matter
You'll forgive me departing from the usual focus and approach of the writings on this site. But I want to say something. Here's what I want to say: Morals matter! Look, I'm this old, retired, but not quite retired, liberal parson. Yep, I said it. I'm a liberal. I'm liberal in my theology; I am ...
Dear Parson, Yes, we are still here and it is 9:35 pm on Saturday evening. I hope you had your sermon prepared just in case the rapture didn't happen. Maybe it was postponed due to lack of interest. Have a good day. Peace, Curtis
What Happened?
Hello - Hello - Are we still here?
Parson,
We were told in seminary that one of our jobs was "to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." This may be one of the times that the rule does not apply. Peace, Curtis
Hit Of The Family Night Supper
The parson sat in his office pondering a heavy question of ethics. He possessed knowledge that, one the one hand, should be disseminated to various members of his church. But, the dissemination of that knowledge could color the attitudes of those members toward another, or could in the case of a...
Dear Parson,
A Presiding Elder, opps, District Superintendent once said to me, "God keeps the clergy humble, the congregation keeps them poor." But, for a brief moment, you only thought you earned your paycheck. Any way, I think you do. Peace, Curtis
The Sunday Message
The morning worship had gone well. The parson had used the multimedia in a way that seemed to draw the congregation into the homily. It was one of those Sunday efforts that brought a sense of satisfaction, of having earned one's paycheck. Even the parishioners exceeded themselves in their comme...
Dear Parson,
I'm glad you're back. I pray the vacation was good, relaxing and refreshing. Much happened while you were gone but we muddled through. Thanks for the encouraging sermon. Peace, Curtis
A Sermon - 20th Sunday After Pentecost
You’re Here So Be Here Jeremiah 29: 1, 4-7 Luke 17: 11-19 Now I have to tell you, if people really pay attention to the answers I gave on a survey, I may be in a little trouble. You see, on Tuesday before we left for vacation every clergy person in the Northwest District was invited to an ev...
Dear Parson,
Enjoy the time with Ms. Parson. Keep your windshield clean. My Ms. Parson and I will be heading for San Francisco in about a month. Peace, Curtis
I'm Tired, Really Tired!
Here's the deal folks. I'm really, really tired. I guess it's a combination of things pressing in, professional and personal. And, as much as I hate to admit it, my age may be a factor. One top of that I took on more than I should have lately. I've caught up on it all, but I've there's always...
Dear Parson,
Thanks for the update and "praise God from whom all blessings flow." Take care of yourself. Peace, Curtis
Update On My Daughter
Thanks to everyone for the prayers. Christi is home now, and while exhausted, is doing well. As I related she has a history of the seizures. The doctors feel that this was triggered by a lack of sleep because of some writing she was doing the night before. I am really grateful for all the resp...
Dear Parson,
When I was in seminary, I remember seeing a bumper sticker which said "Wouldn't it be great if schools had all the money they needed and the Air Force had to have a bake sale to buy a bomber!" Thanks as always. Peace, Curtis
Impressive Fundraiser
The parson’s old friend Buddy “Roll Out” Hathaway had invited him to speak at a community meeting. The parson had readily accepted, mostly as an excuse to travel halfway across the state to visit with his former high school classmate. Now, the morning after the speech, the parson was walking ...
"Ignore"ance is bliss. Peace, Curtis
Some Soup; Some Talk
The youth in our church deliver a meal each Monday evening to the homebound in our church and community. We call it Soup Supper Monday, and often the meal is a bit more than soup. One night, the kids entered a Senior Citizen community and by mistake delivered the meal to a man and woman not on t...
The joy of giving brings joy. Amen. Thanks for sharing. Peace, Curtis
The Pretty Purple Dress
Elise Parrot came bounding into the fellowship hall propelled by the inexhaustible unseen energy source that was unique to her. She skidded to a stop in front of the parson’s seat, wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged like a long lost daughter. “Guess what,” she said. “What?” responde...
Blessings to you!!! And as a former D. S, of mine would say "May your tribe increase!" Peace, Curtis
Four More And I'll Have A Soccer Team
I would have written a blog, but instead I decided to attend the arrival of grandchild #7: Need I point out who he looks like?
Dear Questing Parson, as I pondered this entry and your advice, I wondered "If he waited until September, would he be considered an 'effective pastor' according to current hysteria about clergy effectiveness which is gripping the UMC? Peace, Curtis
Trial By Heat
The pastor’s meeting had been a pastor’s meeting. Now the brothers and sisters were sitting at tables in the fellowship hall. They were devouring a routine meal of baked chicken, green beans, and potato salad served in a pedestrian presentation on a round plate with a tossed salad of wilted text...
Parson, There you go again being one step ahead of me. Yesterday, as I was leaving church, the pastor asked me if I were going to the delegates' meeting for our conference, I informed him of my exalted status by saying "No!" Then he asked me to go in his place, to which I said, "What part of 'No' do you not understand." And to think I almost came to your church, I would have enjoyed see you "dash." Peace, Curtis
About The Meeting
Dear Church Superior: As you know I am not a big fan of church denominational meetings. Your knowledge of this, I know, is often refreshed by my not being present for gatherings you have ordained as a necessity. I must say that over the years I’ve come to appreciate your endeavors to encourage m...
Parson, I could not have said it better.
Bishop Willimon ~ We Have A Slight Difference Of Opinion
Let’s get the disclaimers out of the way before I begin this writing: First, I’m a William Willimon groupie. It’s kind of strange to say that since I’m a good bit older than this United Methodist Bishop with the prolific pen and penetrating mind. Nevertheless, since hearing him preach while he ...
Dear Parson,
"lest we forget" and let us pray, work and strive to make "Never again" a reality. Peace, Curtis
A Mother's Tribute
Backing out of the garage, she then pointed her car toward the highway infused with holiday traffic. Just about everyone she knew was headed to the lake, the mountains, the cousin’s house, to all those places where folks go to participate in the frivolity of the Memorial Day weekend. Hunger aro...
Dear Parson,
Thanks for the good laugh this morning and making me remember when I was at the Perkins School of Theology at SMU, the rapture was big talk at the Dallas Theological Seminary (across town from SMU). Hal Lindsey's books were all the rage there. The insurance agents who worked both campuses complained about how the students at Dallas Theological wanted the policies to pay off in case of rapture and to specific beneficiaries. I told them I was available to be a beneficiary. Thanks for you interest in the rapture! Peace, Curtis
A Rapture Question
The parson was but one of the assembled clergy, gathered in the restaurant’s private room, participating in the regularly occurring meeting of the ordained. The meal had been from the “all you can eat buffet” and the brothers and sisters now sat back in their seats, many sipping coffee, others w...
Dear Questing Parson,
Thank you for reminding us to thank those who have taught us, encouraged us, believed in us and sent us on our way to be good, kind and just. Peace, Curtis
Here's To The Teachers
I write a weekly newspaper column in The Calhoun Times, Calhoun, Georgia. Today, I’m sharing that column here. The school year is over in the county and will be over in the city at the end of the week. What a year it has been. For a week or so the teachers will be doing those necessary thing...
Dear Parson,
As one old parson to another, "Thanks." You said it better than I could. You reminded me of why I enjoyed so much "filling in" last Sunday on a circuit where they had asked for me again. Peace, Curtis
Why Do You Do It? - Part II
“Why do I do it?” the parson repeated. He stopped rocking and leaned forward in the chair. The chirping of the crickets was joined briefly by the hoot of an owl. “Why do I do it? I have to tell you, truthfully, I ask myself that question a lot. In fact, I’ve asked myself that question for for...
Dear Parson,
Remind Erin to make time for herself outside of and away from the church. She needs "to be good to herself." Peace, Curtis
A Date For the Reverend Ms?
The District Task Force on Reducing the Number of Required Meetings was meeting. The parson having attended a smidgen over 7,000 meetings in the course of his career was participating with a degree of amusement. As such he didn’t say much. But he listened. In the course of the listening the par...
Dear Parson, Thanks. This should be e-mailed to all clergy, especially the younger ones. When my wife and I were first married and because we both had hectic jobs, we kept Thursday evening as our night. I told the congregation I was not available except for emergencies and, if they came to parsonage, I would probably greet them in my pajamas. Funny, almost no one minded or showed up and the church survived. Peace, Curtis
Time At the End of A Tiring Day
A long way from home, the parson turned in that direction. A day visiting a member, now living out-of-town with a relative while recovering from a debilitating illness, followed a late night session in the emergency room where he was filling in for the chaplain. Thirty miles on the journey, t...
Dear Parson,
Take heart. He is after me, too! So I guess we are in good company. Peace, Curtis Grissett
Help!! He's After Me!!
Dear Parson,
A vow made, remembered and kept. An honorable man. Many of us in ministry have witnessed such love, honor and devotion. Thank you for sharing. Peace, Curtis A. Grissett
A Vow Kept
Everyday he is there. The television is always on, usually it is some daytime soap opera, occasionally a sports program. He sits in the second seat from the end of a row of chairs. So often is he there one wonders if a plaque bearing his name is affixed to the back of the upright. Always he dr...
Dear Parson,
I meant to comment yesterday. Your last several posts have been especially meaningful to me.
Regarding this post. The poet Cowper said "God works in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform." Jesus said, "The angels rejoice in heaven in the return of one of God's own." (my paraphrase) I say, "To Gob be the glory. Amen."
Thank you. Peace, Curtis
Persistence
I’m not writing a blog today. I’m just basking in the glory of it all. The first time I talked to her about joining the church was in 1973. She was a neighbor, living across the street from the parsonage. Since then I buried her husband; I shared in her sorrows and in the joy of her second c...
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