Winn Collier's Blog, page 66

Questioning the Sermon

As pastors, if you won't let God use you to make a new world, through faithful words, then all you can do is service the old one. And that's no fun. {Walter Brueggemann}


Taking my cue from the Good Bishop Annie, I think it would be a shame indeed to offer trivial sermons about trivial things. The Bible tells a most outrageous story. If it's true, as I happen to believe it is, then our reality has been redefined; we need new eyes to see our life (and the entire cosmos) in new ways; and - perhap...

On Preaching

Write as if you were dying. At the same time assume you write for an audience consisting solely of terminal patients...What would you being writing if you knew you would die soon? What could you say to a dying person that would not enrage by its triviality? {annie dillard}

Words matter to me, very much. Ideas matter. Images matter. This trio of convictions probably explains a bit of why my vocation dances around two acts that have much to do with words, ideas and images: writing and preaching....

Seth

Seth turns 6 today, this joy of mine moves another year toward fatherhood. I have to tell you, I love this boy. I'm happy today, happiness mixed with a twinge of sorrow too.

I'm happy because I am overwhelmed with gratitude. For all his years, this one no less, Seth has offered me the gifts of laughter (like with his break-dancing) and mercy (his "I forgive you") and honesty ("Dad, you hurt me") and cuddles (still) - not to mention being my most faithful coffee pal. Seth (his innocence, his te...

Caption of the Week

In case you missed the story, this was Khadafi at the UN this week, who turned a 15 minute time slot into a 93 minute mostly-unintelligible tirade. Not that we need it, but this picture is dying for a witty caption. Whatcha got?


If we get good participation, maybe we'll make this a regular installment.

The Problem with Organized Religion

This week, Wall Street Journal columnist Gary Hammel reflected on "organized religion's management problem."

Attempting to offer friendly critique from an outsider, Hammel provided a number of insightful observations. I found his piece intriguing on multiple fronts. First, I just think Hammel is an interesting writer (his phrase "mugged by change" will get some play with me). Second - being a pastor, I hear a good bit about the problem with "organized religion." In these conversations, often, ...

Eugene Williams

The first time I met my eighty-one year old neighbor, Eugene Williams, he said, "You know, you and me - we're making history." I was hooked. A few days later, I was back on his front porch, sharing pizza and Orange Crush with him and his wife Lorraine. Eugene shared tales of segregation and injustice, stories of my neighborhood. He told me how he was the third black to move on that end of the street - and and how most of the whites quickly evacuated. He share d how he refused to use the cup...

Culinary GameChangers

I can find my way around a kitchen. I may not be as fussy about cleaning up as Miska would like, but on the whole, I do alright.

Allow me to share with you three kitchen gadgets that have changed my world.

[1:] Double-walled tea cup. I love tea cups without handles so I can cuddle with the warmth. However I do not like first-degree burns on my palms and fingers. With this cup, burns begone.

[2:] Egg-Perfect Egg Timer. We eat lots of boiled eggs in our house. And everyone in the fam likes theirs co...

Review: There is a God by Anthony Flew

{from Goodreads}

There Is a God: How The World's Most Notorius Atheist Changed His Mind by Anthony Flew


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had heard bits of Professor Flew's infamous change of mind, from atheism to theism. The book purchase was an impulse buy, though, when I saw it at one of our local bookshops.

I was eager to read Flew's story. After the introduction, I was ready to gobble the pages. Unfortunately, about midway, I realized I was going to be disappointed. I expected an emphasis on narrative

Collier Men

Miska is away to Richmond Hill for a short retreat, which means the Collier house is all men all the time.

Here is a short schedule:
(1) A game of UNO with our shirts off (Wyatt's request)

(2) Wacky photo session (view to the left)

(3) The boys making their first blog entries:

Wyatt: Don't be dumb. Be cool!
Seth: My dad rocks!! (with only minor coaching)

And up next:

(4) Guy's movie - I thought it was going to be Rocky, but I was outvoted - Eragon

(5) Playing with power tools (a power washer to be exact)

A Few of the People...

I bet you if I had met him and had a chat with him, I would have found him a very interesting and human fellow, for I never yet met a man that I didn't like. {Will Rogers}

Here are a few of the interesting people I've encountered today:

A courier standing in line with me at the ban k. As we talked about his job, I asked him if he had ever transported something really weird. "A body chopped up into parts," he said.

A friend at breakfast. I discovered he likes peanut butter omelets.

A guy waiting, as I