http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/ Monthly columns by the pastors of Grace Presbyterian Church, Montclair, New Jersey en fan44@aol.com Copyright 2010 2010-09-01T05:00:41+00:00 http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/the_missional_church/ http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/the_missional_church/#When:05:00:41Z We have been speaking about the theme of being a missional church for some time now.  Dr. Darrell Guder, Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, spoke on this theme at our Missions Conference several years ago and also met with the church staff.  We are taking on more and more of… Pastor's Pulse 2010-09-01T05:00:41+00:00 http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/god_be_with_ye/ http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/god_be_with_ye/#When:05:00:17Z So, ladies and gentlemen this is it, my final Tim’s Thoughts for the News of Grace. Chances are, as you read these words August 31st has passed and I have completed my final day at Grace Presbyterian Church. I want to take this opportunity to thank you and to say… Tim's Thoughts 2010-09-01T05:00:17+00:00 http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/incomparably_great/ http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/incomparably_great/#When:06:00:18Z Last week I heard this true story about a pastor who returned from vacation to find a note on her desk. The note called for an emergency board meeting. At the meeting she discovered that while she had been away the boiler and a few other parts of the building… Tim's Thoughts 2010-08-01T06:00:18+00:00 http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/cosmology_and_creation/ http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/cosmology_and_creation/#When:05:00:48Z In the summer of 1972 I met a brilliant young scientist who I felt was one of the most interesting and stimulating people I had ever met (this impression also applied to his wife, Carolyn, who had the distinction of introducing me to C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia).  We were… Pastor's Pulse 2010-08-01T05:00:48+00:00 http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/wrestling_with_god/ http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/wrestling_with_god/#When:05:00:32Z This summer we will be focusing on the subject of prayer in our Sunday sermon series.  Prayer is one of those subjects that seems both to be overly familiar and, at the same time, strange and difficult.  We talk about prayer and we all pray to some extent but the… Pastor's Pulse 2010-07-01T05:00:32+00:00 http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/so_far_out/ http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/so_far_out/#When:05:00:05Z A few weeks ago I was cleaning our kitchen. As I reached up to dust the molding I noticed there were tears in my eyes. It wasn’t the dust. Rather, I was listening to a sermon podcast from Imago Dei Community in Portland, Oregon. Rick McKinley was preaching to his… Tim's Thoughts 2010-07-01T05:00:05+00:00 http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/dont_despair/ http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/dont_despair/#When:06:00:22Z I have seen it on your faces. You are weary. Things aren’t well. Your shoulders slump and your steps have slowed. It’s as if your vitality is being siphoned away. Your words ring hollow. A weight is crushing you. Getting up each day has become a challenge. Living has worn… Tim's Thoughts 2010-06-01T06:00:22+00:00 http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/the_gift_of_amazing_grace/ http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/the_gift_of_amazing_grace/#When:05:00:35Z I recently attended a retreat with the Montclair Clergy Association at the Presbyterian retreat center in Stony Point, New York.  Our speaker walked us through important points on our spiritual journey.  The first point dealt with the theme of loss.  Loss can take many forms.  He asked us to reflect… Pastor's Pulse 2010-06-01T05:00:35+00:00 http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/never_give_up/ http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/never_give_up/#When:21:14:33Z A friend of mine was once going through a really difficult time. The challenges were mounting left and right, and they just kept coming. Usually my friend was the person who downplayed things. The answer to “how are you?” was always, “oh, doin’ good, how are you?” That night my… Tim's Thoughts 2010-05-01T21:14:33+00:00 http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/fulfilling_the_great_commission/ http://www.gracemontclair.org/pastors/columns/fulfilling_the_great_commission/#When:04:14:59Z As I write this I’ve just come from the wedding celebration of Yewande Morgan and Bolanle Onodipe.  Yewande is the sister of Elder Ibijoke Alade and has been attending Grace for the past several months.  She and her husband, Bolanle, were actually married in a civil ceremony earlier but wanted… Pastor's Pulse 2010-05-01T04:14:59+00:00