Category Archives: In A Nutshell

All’s ‘Fair’ in Wayne County This Week I had never been to a county fair before I moved to Wooster nearly 40 years ago. Since that time, I have observed the far-reaching impact of this all-consuming event, from animal auctions to school projects to marching bands to some of the best palate-pleasing delicacies around. DuringContinue reading “In A Nutshell | September 9, 2022”

An Invitation to Visitation One of the most important, but often underserved, responsibilities of those in ministry is visitation, particularly to people who are hospitalized, housebound, or in long-term care facilities.  Even though I sometimes put visitation off and fill the time with some other activity or obligation, when I finally get around to visiting,Continue reading “In A Nutshell | September 2, 2022”

Timing is Everything in God’s Universe   Timing is everything — in both heaven and on earth. We have no control over God’s timing, but we do try to manage our time in this life as best we can, even though that can be a major challenge.  For example, police officers, firefighters, and paramedics must respondContinue reading “In A Nutshell | August 19, 2022”

Neutralizing Bullying Behavior This world has far too many bullies, and most of us have come face-to-face with at least one of them in our lifetime. My most memorable (and most unpleasant) encounter came on the playground of St. Bartholomew Elementary School in suburban Pittsburgh when I was in sixth grade, circa 1968. Our residentContinue reading “In A Nutshell | August 5, 2022”

Our church has been hit rather hard this month with the passing of two longtime and respected members of our congregation. Christy Rickard, was the chair of our Membership Care committee, and she really embraced that role, reaching out to those in need and making everyone who entered our doors feel welcome.  Arden Boyer wasContinue reading “In A Nutshell | July 29, 2022”

Let Us Be Cautious About the ‘Junk’ We Consume You may think that you have heard it all, but chances are you have not heard this: Our country now has a day set aside to recognize the not-so-healthy snacks we consume. It’s called “National Junk Food Day,” and it has been designated as such byContinue reading “In A Nutshell | July 22, 2022”

In Pursuit of Spiritual Wealth  Can you believe how much money professional athletes are demanding from their respective teams these days? Neither can I! One has to wonder when this insane escalation of salaries will come to an end. Well, the answer might be “never,” or at least “not anytime soon.” This same discussion hasContinue reading “In A Nutshell | July 15, 2022”

Spreading the Good News in Every Imaginable Way There’s nothing quite like creative new ideas to help spread the Good News of the Gospel and other passages of Scripture.  Just last month Elizabeth Feldman and Natalie Bunt tidied up the library and came across a surplus of Bibles that were in excellent condition. Elizabeth suggestedContinue reading “In A Nutshell | July 8, 2022”

Finding Calm after the Storm The storms of mid-June created quite a stir in our area, cutting a swath of destruction through a number of communities and neighborhoods. Many of you sustained considerable damage to your property and a lengthy loss of power, but thankfully, there were no serious injuries. The splintered trees and scatteredContinue reading “In A Nutshell | July 1, 2022”

What’s Your Ultimate Destination?  It’s late June, and just about everyone is in vacation mode. With the worst of the pandemic seemingly behind us, people are more anxious than ever to get out of their house and out of their routine in search of a destination that can provide a source of fun and excitementContinue reading “In A Nutshell | June 24, 2022”