It was the fall of 1885.  The Wilson, Tims, Hackler, Boswell, Kizziar, Hubbrad, Russell, House, Bratton, Balch, Buttrell and Hopson families led by Rev. Perry organized the Mansfield Methodist Church. For $100, they would eventually purchase the land on which the first building was constructed.  Over the course of the next five decades, the building […]

As I was preparing for this week’s Wednesday Night Check-In, something occurred to me that I had not thought of before.  I have never done a message series on suffering.  Which for some, you might think, “Well, of course not. Who would want to listen to that?”  Your immediate reaction might be,  “After a difficult […]

Each year on the 11th of November we observe a day set aside to honor and express appreciation to all military veterans who have served our nation. Originally known as Armistice Day, which marked the signing of the Versailles Treaty at the 11th hour of the 11th day of November 1918 bringing an end to […]

Several years ago I had to go to physical therapy for my shoulder. I had “tweaked” it somehow and certain movements had started causing significant pain.  The therapist that worked with me was wonderful. He did a meticulous evaluation asking lots of questions about the difficulty I was experiencing. He then carefully explained what he […]

This past week I have been re-reading the book Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership by Ruth Hailey Barton. It was a book that profoundly impacted me when I first read it five or six years ago.  Barton’s book is a reflection on the life of Moses. It’s a book I highly recommend. It’s highly applicable to […]

Last week my wife and I were discussing a potential Christmas gift for our kids. We found it for a good price. It was something that we knew both of our kids would enjoy. It seemed like a great idea until Stephanie asked the question, Where are we going to put that? I expect that […]