Hamburg
Baptist Church

Last night I shared parts of this poem / reflection with a Bereavement Support Group: There are no more pictures to be taken But there are memories to be cherished. For that, I am thankful. There is a missing chair at the table But the circle of family gathers close. For that, I am thankful. The stillness remains But the sadness is smaller. For that, I am thankful. The calendar still turns, the holidays still appearing And they still cost too much . . . but I am still here. F

Pastor / author John Ortberg raises an old question in a new way.  Just what makes us “Jesus / Church” people who we are?  First, he...

Success over addiction in any form is supported by overall healthy spiritual growth

Before the school year fades from memory, how about an end-of-semester test?  Don’t worry, it’s open book.  And also, your score won’t go...

This month marks the biggest change in Susie’s life in over twenty years – as she retires from teaching (8th grade earth science).  The...

Yesterday I was checking on a lady who had lost her mother a few months earlier.  She had been grieving deeply, but noted she was doing...

Christ’s victory over death means many things for us. What better proof of life after death , that the resurrection provides? What...

The season leading to Easter has traditionally had simple themes: following Jesus through prayer and reflection, renunciation and...

Give thanks in all circumstances . And how much more when the love in our congregation keeps flowing, when deeply rooted faith guides us,...

Hopeful for the new year?  Hopeful about a new direction, or challenge (or whatever is new in your life)?  Our attitude depends partly on...

Who observes Christmas in our country? About nine-in-ten Americans (92%) as well as a big majority (81%) of non-Christians in the US ...

The Annual Session of American Baptist Churches of New Jersey took place early in October.  As usual, the big room was packed – an...

How many people have you led to Christ, using the “Roman Road”?

Meeting a sick elderly man in the hospital with his son bedside, the mood was bleak.  The patient’s future appeared likely to continue...

Thinking politically.  We can hardly get away from it this season!  So where do we start?  We hope to have our politics thoroughly...

(From Christianity Today, Author Andrew Wilson) Most of us pray the Lord’s Prayer backwards.  A few years ago, my wife and I were on an...

Long ago, a “field worker” with extended outdoor shifts looked around at those in his charge – a flock of sheep. In a prayerful state of...

Max Lucado tells the story of a missionary in Brazil who discovered a tribe of Indians in a remote part of the jungle. They lived near a...

Mornings can have a bleak side for me. Even in a warm and safe house, usually after a decent night’s sleep, with work that I’m happy to...

The psalms reflect two sides of our nature.  One theme is our waywardness and need for forgiveness and a Savior.  As in the abject...