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29 03, 2019

Wine-making with Jesus

Sally Penning2019-03-29T09:24:07-05:00March 29th, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God - Father, Son, Holy Spirit, You do some pretty amazing things. I am particularly fond of how you turn water into wine. You did it at that wedding in Cana long ago, and I wish I had been there to see it, and taste the finest wine you provide. But I can see how you do it even today. You take the water that falls on the earth, and you draw it into the roots of the vine, flavor it with nutrients from the soil and energy from the sun, and turn it into sap. You [...]

22 03, 2019

Sheila’s Story, by Pat Witherspoon-Hall

Sally Penning2019-03-22T09:10:01-05:00March 22nd, 2019|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

“Sheila” found Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) in early 2019 through a local church, where she had initially turned for help in her time of need. The hard-working 34-year-old mother of two children—ages 10 and 1—had recently moved to Houston from another state to flee domestic abuse. Sheila was working as a healthcare assistant but had no local support system to rely upon. In recent weeks, her homeless family had been living in their car. The church and CCSC worked together to help stabilize Sheila’s family and find safe housing. On a few occasions in the subsequent weeks, [...]

22 03, 2019

The Breath of God

Sally Penning2019-03-22T08:59:37-05:00March 22nd, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I am ready to receive your Holy Spirit. I like to think that I am doing the best I can do. I am trying to be a good husband, a good father, a good son, a good friend, a good citizen, a good neighbor, a good pastor, and overall just be a good person. Yes, I probably can try a little harder and do a little more. But honestly, I feel like I have been trying harder and doing more, and I am not making a lot of progress. It can be pretty frustrating, [...]

15 03, 2019

Some things you have to unlearn, by Rev. David Horton

Sally Penning2019-03-15T09:15:25-05:00March 15th, 2019|All blogs, We Tell Our Stories|0 Comments

An eighth grader at Jane Long Academy, located only one block to the east of Gethsemane, stabbed and killed another eighth grader after school on Wednesday, March 6. It was Ash Wednesday, the day that God literally rubs mortality in your face. The boys had crossed over Bellaire Blvd to a convenience store on the corner. It was there that one of the boys purchased a brownie and the other boy asked for a bite of it. The first boy said no. The second boy said a few choice words he shouldn’t have. Then the first boy pulled [...]

15 03, 2019

Show me the way

Sally Penning2019-03-15T09:11:31-05:00March 15th, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God of love, When I am lost, find me and bring me home. When I am weary, give me the strength to walk one more step, get through one more day, face one more challenge. When I am joyous, show me how I can share my joy with others. When I am confident, temper my confidence with humility. When I am wrong, give me the grace to repent with authenticity. When I am right, remind me that I could be wrong. When I am self-righteous, make clear to me my sin, and knock me low. [...]

8 03, 2019

A look in the mirror

Sally Penning2019-03-08T09:06:08-06:00March 8th, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, This morning, I stepped out of the shower and looked in the mirror. The bright lights revealed who I really am. It wasn't pretty. So I put on my clothes and hoped it would cover up the truth. This afternoon, God, I studied my scripture, and I saw in there a reflection of who I really am. It wasn't pretty. Most of the time, I put on my smile and positive attitude and go out and just do my best. But God, that isn't what this Lenten season is about. Lent is about seeing the truth, not hiding from it, or [...]

1 03, 2019

Dealing with the hurt

Sally Penning2019-03-01T10:39:57-06:00March 1st, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|0 Comments

A PERSONAL PRAYER God, I am not sure exactly what to pray for today. Lots of strong emotions all around. You tell me that if I will just come into your presence, you will hear and understand the greatest need of my heart. My heart breaks as I talk to some people today. I pray for comfort and healing for them. I pray that they don't turn away from you, or from your son Jesus. I know how much you love them, and I know you want them to know that. Show me how to tell them. God I ask forgiveness for [...]

26 02, 2019

A Message from Tom Pace from the General Conference of the United Methodist Church

Sally Penning2019-02-26T18:54:50-06:00February 26th, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Friends, The called session of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church to deal with issues around same sex marriage and ordination is concluding. The body passed an amended version of the plan called “The Traditional Plan,” which continues the current United Methodist position that same sex weddings cannot be officiated by our clergy or in our churches, and self-avowed practicing LGBT men and women may not be ordained. It also adds increased accountability for bishops and boards of ministry in enforcing this covenant. However, many of the components to increase that accountability already have been ruled in violation [...]

22 02, 2019

A special called session of the General Conference of the United Methodist

Sally Penning2019-02-22T09:09:19-06:00February 22nd, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace, Uncategorized|0 Comments

A special called session of the General Conference of the United Methodist denomination will be meeting in St. Louis from Saturday, February 23 – Tuesday, February 26. The purpose of the session is to make decisions regarding whether United Methodist churches or clergy are permitted to hold or officiate at same-sex weddings, and whether Annual Conferences can ordain self-avowed, practicing homosexual men and women. Ordinarily, the General Conference of the church meets every four years, with lay and clergy delegates from Annual Conferences around the world. In the regular session of the General Conference in 2016, a special commission (The [...]

21 02, 2019

The Called Session of General Conference of the United Methodist Church

Sally Penning2019-02-22T09:04:09-06:00February 21st, 2019|All blogs, Inside-Out with Dr. Tom Pace|1 Comment

A special called session of the General Conference of the United Methodist denomination will be meeting in St. Louis from Saturday, February 23 – Tuesday, February 26. The purpose of the session is to make decisions regarding whether United Methodist churches or clergy are permitted to hold or officiate at same-sex weddings, and whether Annual Conferences can ordain self-avowed, practicing homosexual men and women. Ordinarily, the General Conference of the church meets every four years, with lay and clergy delegates from Annual Conferences around the world. In the regular session of the General Conference in 2016, a special [...]