A Song in the Wilderness
Jesus didn’t serve himself. The church often did—and does.
The ICE Recruiting Song
Greetings, Merry Mystics!
Gee, but I always feel reluctant to share edgy songs like this one. What if people take offense? Or what if people embrace it, with realizing that it’s satire? Or what if people are just turned off by politics of any stripe?
But, oh well. As Popeye said: I yam what I yam.
Given that, here’s The ICE Recruiting Song. The song is partly based on a popular song from the Civil War era: “Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! (The Prisoner’s Hope)” by George F. Root.
Getting Away from It All
One simple lesson from the legend of the Transfiguration is the importance of getting away, as Jesus so often did.
Blessed Examples
The Beatitudes can speak more clearly if we don’t try to think of them as a list of one-size-fits-all obligations.
When Prophets Agree
Isaiah, Amos, and Micah agree on this—and so did Jesus.
Prayer of Change
Jesus was all about change; churches, not so much.
Kick Me to the Curb
Mellow greetings, Merry Mystics!
I was thinking about Pete Seeger this week—one of my heroes—so I wrote this little protest song.
Anyone want to send me another verse?
How You Could Have Known (2026 Edition)
A sermon about an early film. “Too political”? You decide.
Baptism: The History and the Voice
There’s nothing so beautiful that human beings can’t turn it into a problem. Case in point: baptism.
Not So Wise Are We (Hymn)
I wrote a new hymn to go with the Epiphany story in the Gospel of Matthew. It’s about those mysterious visitors from the East, who behave so foolishly in the story. They go to the wrong place (Jerusalem, not Bethlehem); they visit the wrong king (Herod, not Jesus); they ask him a really foolish question (“So, what do you know about the new king—the one who’s going to replace you?”); and when they finally get to the right place, they bring three really inappropriate gifts! How’d they ever get to be called “Wise Men” anyway?
Sheet music for “Not So Wise Are We” is freely available, as always, and you can listen to the hymn here. (I also gave a whole sermon on the subject—in case anyone wants to hear a sermon!)