Free Stuff
My sheet music and other free resources are available here. Just follow this link.
These things are under a Creative Commons license that allows you to download them and copy them freely—for any non-commercial use.
Enjoy!
Store
I have books, CDs, and a video series for sale from my store page. (I wish I could just give everything away, but one must eat!)
I’m especially excited about my new book, now available: My Burden Is Light: A Pastor’s Plea for Rationality, Honesty, and Humility.
About
Merry, Mystical Missives
Here you’ll find everything I’ve sent out to the mailing list for The Merry Mystic.
Epiphany
Last week, a fellow Merry Mystic named Dudley asked me to explain something about my song, “Longs For You.” Dudley wrote:
Such a beautiful thought, and feeling!
You declare that you know for sure that She longs for us, Adam. Can you elaborate a bit on HOW you know this for sure? When I meditate, I sometimes feel a sure Presence that carries me for hours. But I have considered this a result of my own longing; I’ve never really thought that God was “longing” for me! How can you be so sure of that?
Well, there’s a story behind this, but it takes a bit of telling, so I’ve put off answering until today. But now, here it is: I once heard five words from God.
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Please join the conversation by sharing a story or asking a question below.
P.S. If you missed my song, “Longs For You,” you can still find it here.
Longs for You
Well, this song is sort of sentimental. It isn’t funny, or witty, or erudite. It won’t be going platinum. But it’s one of those things about God that I know beyond doubt — and there aren’t very many of those, so I thought I’d better share it. I hope it will speak to you.
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I hope you feel it too. If so, please share it with a friend.
Open and Affirming
Here’s a little satirical song about the unwelcoming “welcome” some of us encounter in church.
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Please share your thoughts below. And hey, please share this post with anyone you think might get a laugh. Heaven knows we can all use one.
P.S. As you can probably tell, Tom Lehrer’s music was a big influence on me. My parents had some of his albums—Songs by Tom Lehrer, More of Tom Lehrer and, of course, An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer—and I listened to them eagerly, even before I was old enough to understand them. So the way I turned out is really his fault.
On Not Having Heard from God Recently
Have you ever asked God to tell you what to do? I have …
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Leave a comment and tell us a story: have you ever received clear instructions from God? Did you ask for them?
P.S. — Here’s the text of that poem.
On Not Having Heard From God Recently I think that if I were King, I'd want a captain who doesn't keep asking, What should I do now? I'd want an agent who knows what I want, and does it, and rarely asks for advice or permission. I'd want an independent servant, someone I have to seek out to comfort from time to time. I'd find her in the field, at night, in the chapel there alone, with her weapons beside her. I'd sit down next to her, pray with her. After a while, just as dawn began to lighten the sky, I'd say: Hello, Captain. It's me. I just want you to know, I'm grateful for all you do. Anything I can do for you? Anything you need? And my captain would smile, maybe for the first time in days, and she'd say: No thanks, Boss. I've got it covered.
These are the (mostly video) messages sent out to The Merry Mystic mailing list.
Sermons and Such
Every week, I preach in the Open Prairie United Church of Christ in Princeton, Illinois. I’m not sending most of these out to The Merry Mystic mailing list; but on the outside chance you’d like to see a sermon, here they are.