Barry's Notes

Sunday April 21, 2024Last Sunday morning we were praying for a liver to become available for Chris Hoover. His liver disease was advancing, and a transplant was necessary for survival. Today, one week later, Chris is home from the hospital post-transplant, he is in good spirits, and he is tremendously thankful. What a difference a … More What a Difference a Week Makes! The Transplant Journey of Chris Hoover

Holy Week is a season for reflection and soul-searching, a week to re-trace the steps of Jesus toward the cross and to contemplate the depth of God’s love. During this week, Christ followers and spiritual inquirers from all around the globe will be focused once again on the events that led to the death, burial, … More Holy Week: Re-Tracing the Steps of Jesus

Easter is coming a little early this year, well before the dogwoods bloom. Christmas is always on December 25. Why is Easter not on the same date every year? Last year Easter was on April 9. This year we will celebrate Easter on March 31. Next year Easter comes on April 20, just as the … More Before the Dogwoods Bloom: How the Date for Easter Is Chosen

Irish singer and songwriter, Bono, of the band U2 confesses, “I believe Jesus is the Son of God; if we could be more like him, the world would be transformed.” It’s one thing to confess, “I believe in Jesus.” It’s another thing to learn and live by a Jesus worldview. Cultivating a Jesus worldview is … More 10 Practices to Help Us Cultivate a Jesus Worldview

One good way to affirm and encourage the students in your church is to invite them to regularly participate in the life and liturgy of the church. In I Timothy 4:12 Paul advises his young protégé, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in … More Empowering the Next Generation: 5 Reasons We Invite Our Students to Lead in Worship

Popular author and speaker Anne Lamott confesses, “I do not at all understand the mystery of grace – only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us.” To grow spiritually, we must perpetually aim to make more space for grace within and among us. As a penitential … More A Lenten Reflection: Making Space for Grace

Who is this man called Jesus? Popular author Max Lucado affirms, “The life of Jesus Christ is a message of hope, a message of mercy, a message of life in a dark world.” But how can his identity be confirmed? In the gospel of John, not long after Jesus scattered the accusers of a woman … More A Lenten Reflection: Questioning the Identity of Jesus

According to Neil T. Anderson, “Your greatest fulfillment in life will come when you discover your unique gifts and abilities and use them to edify others and glorify the Lord.” While I am not fully sure that discovering your spiritual gifts will lead you to live happily ever after, I am convinced that a deeper … More 10 Things You Need to Know About Spiritual Gifts

Taking a journey through an engaging book is a soul-nurturing, mind-stretching adventure. Charles W. Eliot contends, “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” My appreciation for reading was slow to develop. But when it emerged, it surged. As … More 24 Books I Plan to Read in 2024