Rev. Dr. Jeff Garrison
Jeff GarrisonBluemont and Mayberry Presbyterian ChurchesLuke 3:1-6December 5, 2021 At the beginning of worship Christ has come, and Christ will come again. This truth of the Christian faith is why on our Advent journey. As we recall what happened and will happen again, (Christ’s coming), we find we must deal with a crazy man out … Read more Advent 2: Preparation
Small communities tend to do the best with Christmas parades, and the Meadows of Dan Christmas parade was no exception. The line was long and involved so many people that you would think there wouldn’t be anyone watching. But the street was filled with folks, especially kids with bags as the parade is like Mardi … Read more Meadows of Dan Christmas Parade
Jeff GarrisonBluemont and Mayberry Presbyterian Church Luke 21:25-36November 28, 2021 At the Beginning of Worship Today we begin our Advent journey: four weeks of preparation for Christ’s coming. Advent is about waiting. During this season we recall the centuries the Israelites longed for a Messiah. It’s also a season in which we are reminded that we, … Read more Advent 1: The End is Near, But Don’t Worry
I lived in Petersburg, Virginia, during the first three years I was in elementary school. But only one year do I remember having thanksgiving there, with a turkey my father shot while deer hunting on the Nottingway River. The other two years, we headed back to Moore County, North Carolina for Thanksgiving. The song, “Over … Read more Thanksgiving Day, Mid-1960s
Jeff GarrisonBluemont and Mayberry Presbyterian ChurchesDeuteronomy 5:1-11November 21, 2021 At the beginning of Worship Today, as I’ve been doing for the past three weeks, we’re exploring key beliefs of what makes us a part of the Presbyterian and Reformed family. Taking sin seriously is one of these tenets. I am sorry to disappoint you, but … Read more Sin as Idolatry
Over the past few years, I have been concerned on the lack of civility in our public lives. We see it in politics, in grocery stores, and on the highways. Before COVID, I was activity attempting to foster conversation about civility. It’s needed in our world. Because of my interest, a parishioner in one of … Read more The Death of Politics, A Review
Jeff GarrisonBluemont and Mayberry ChurchesNovember 14, 2021Romans 8:18-30 At the beginning of worship I am continuing to review the theology that makes us Presbyterian and a part of that body within Christ’s church known as Reformed. Today, the topic is election. No, I am not talking about what we did a two Tuesdays ago. I’m … Read more Romans 8: Election and Augustine
My eyes have feasted on a beautiful colored landscape for the past month. Slowly the trees turned color. But with last week’s heavy frost, the trees are now mostly brown or their leaves have fallen to the earth, to rot into the soil and nourish another season. I thought I would share some of my … Read more Saying Goodbye to Color
Jeff GarrisonBluemont and Mayberry ChurchesNovember 7, 20212 Timothy 3:10-17 At the beginning of worship: Scripture Today we’re continuing looking at the key beliefs for those of us within the Reformed or Presbyterian tradition. Last Sunday, we began with God. Faith starts with the Almighty. I also looked at one of our important Reformers, John Calvin, … Read more The Role of Scripture
Philip Yancey, Where the Light Fell: A Memoir (Random House Audio, 2021), unabridged, 11 hours, 17 minutes. Back in the late 1990s, I read several of Philip Yancey’s book. Twenty some years later, I find myself going back to his books for inspiration. This is especially true for What’s So Amazing About Grace? While Yancey often drew from personal … Read more Where the Light Fell: A Memoir