Dear Tony, We’ve been friends for a while, and I have learned over time to pretty much ignore your rants on denominationalism, recognizing a disconnect with those expressions of faith. But given the latest ramping up of attack with your new Ecclesialeak feature, especially given that you’ve attacked my tribe first, I feel I have … Continue reading An Open Letter to Tony Jones
Author: Jay Voorhees
Jay Voorhees is a pastor, writer, and community activist located in Nashville, TN. Jay currently is the pastor of the City Road Chapel United Methodist Church in Madison, TN, and is engaged in helping to connect others to the example and teaching of Jesus Christ and to take seriously Christ’s call to love our neighbors in radical ways.
Jay is the co-founder of The MethoBlog, a site that aggregates the writings of Methodist-related bloggers throughout the world, and is the former managing editor of The United Methodist Reporter. Jay has been involved in the United Methodist Church at both the local and national level since 1988. Jay is also the owner of Only Wonder Media, a boutique book and media publisher.
Pastor as Web Designer
I confess that I have a problem. You see, I will be in some meeting of some group that I am working with. In the midst of our planning will arise some mention of the organization's web site. Folks will start talking about the unreal amount of money they are spending for their site (usually … Continue reading Pastor as Web Designer
And who is the devil?
He is us, according to Keith H. Mcilwain. Check out his reflection on Matthew 4:1-11 in the first installment of the Lenten Blog Tour.
Too Many Irons in the Fire
I haven’t been writing here as much as I should, mainly because I have too many outlets for sharing thoughts. I pretty much have moved all my political blogging to the Just Nashville site and I’ve been doing my devotional writing at Reflections of Common Prayer. But it’s time to get back up to snuff … Continue reading Too Many Irons in the Fire
2/27/2011 — Unless the Lord Builds The House
I’m working on the buildingIt’s a true foundationI’m holding up the blood-stainedBanner for my lordWell I never get tired, tired, tired of working on the buildingI’m going up to heaven to get my reward—Lillian Bowles and W.O. Boyle Why is it,that WE think we’re so important in God’s equation,the equation, that is, that leads to … Continue reading 2/27/2011 — Unless the Lord Builds The House
2/16/2011 — A Mixed Garden
Each of us has his own endowment from God, one to live this way, another in that. It is an impertinence, then, to try to find out why St. Paul was not give St. Peter’s grace, or St. Peter given St. Paul’s There is only one answer to such questions: the Church is a garden … Continue reading 2/16/2011 — A Mixed Garden
2/24/2010
I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. —Psalm 119:19 The more I look at the world around me, the more I feel like a stranger to the world, for the world I grew up with seems so out of sync with life around me. I grew up when mutual … Continue reading 2/24/2010
2/21/2011 — Thanksgiving for the Unlikely
O God who uses the most unlikely of things,from an ass on a dusty road,to a teenage girl from the sticks of Galilee,we give you thanksfor the way you use the most unlikely thingsto bring us truth.Your ways are not our ways.We would lift up the powerful and charismatic. You lift up the weak and … Continue reading 2/21/2011 — Thanksgiving for the Unlikely
Humiliation and Justice
This past Wednesday night I was leading our group through a process of meditation on scripture taken from a book on the topic by Avery Brooke. It's a simple process that involves reading through the scripture three times during a 15 minute period, moving from a broad view of the text toward discerning a single … Continue reading Humiliation and Justice
The New IPad Life
Some who have been following a while may have known that I recently won a 16 gig, Wifi only, IPad from the good folks at the United Methodist Publishing House in relation to their new Common English Bible. After a week of waiting with baited breath I finally got the unit yesterday and started on … Continue reading The New IPad Life
By the rivers of Babylon, we lay down and wept….
By the rivers of Babylon, we lay down and wept….
2/12/2011 — A Prayer of Thanks for the NAACP
Oh when the saints, go marching in,Oh when the saints go marching in,Oh how I want to be in that number,When the saints go marching in. Come now, and see the works of God,how wonderful are God’s deeds toward all people. God, I don’t know why we don’t seem to understand your ways,and why … Continue reading 2/12/2011 — A Prayer of Thanks for the NAACP
2/10/2011 — A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving
Oh you beautiful fool…Swimming upstream kicking up wavesDreams weren’t meant to come trueThat’s why they call them dreams…“Beautiful Fool” By Don Henry Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and make good on your promises to the Most High.—Psalm 50:14 Master of the Universe, and provider of us all,I raise up my praises this morning for … Continue reading 2/10/2011 — A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving
2/9/2011 — Farther Along
Tempted and tried, we’re oft made to wonderWhy it should be thus all the day long;While there are others living about us,Never molested, though in the wrong.—“Farther Along” by Anonymous/Unknown “Do not become envious,” the psalmist writes, “when some become rich, or when the grandeur of their house increases.” While I want to be humble … Continue reading 2/9/2011 — Farther Along
2/8/2011 — But a Puff of Wind
I’m just a poor, wayfaring stranger, traveling through this world of woe,and there’s no sickness, toil or danger, to that bright land to which I go. —Wayfaring Stranger The congressional leaders who passed the Dawes Act of 1887 which in essence stole tribal lands from the natives so that they could be used be white settlers … Continue reading 2/8/2011 — But a Puff of Wind
2/6/2011 — A Prayer for Those in Tahrir Square
Cause out on the edge of darkness,there rides a peace train Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again.—Cat Stevens There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army,a strong man is not delivered by his great strength.—Psalm 33:16 Master of the universe, provider of us all,the psalmist tells … Continue reading 2/6/2011 — A Prayer for Those in Tahrir Square
2/5/2011 — Active Sitting
I’m just sitting on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away…-Otis Redding Most of the time we don’t think very highly of sitting. We’ve become an action based society, wanting to always move forward, and sitting seems so … passive. Oh sure, in the techno world of today most of sit more … Continue reading 2/5/2011 — Active Sitting
2/4/2011 — Thank You Ms. Rosa
Thank you Ms. Rosa, you were the spark,that started our freedom movement, thank you Sister Rosa Parks —The Neville Brothers “Will you really lay down your life for me,” Jesus asks an indignant Peter who thinks he’s about to be left out of something good. “You can’t handle it,” Jesus tells him, “in fact you are … Continue reading 2/4/2011 — Thank You Ms. Rosa
New Devotional Blog on Common Prayer
I recently picked up "Common Prayer -- A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals" by Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and Enuma Okorro and have started using it for my personal devotional practice. All three are folks that I have respected for some time, and the book is basically a daily office but with a perspective that recognizes … Continue reading New Devotional Blog on Common Prayer
Only Wonder Understands 