Rev. Dr. Jeff Garrison
My Reading of Eugene Peterson As a seminary student, I first introduced to the writings of Eugene Peterson. I don’t remember the class, but I had to read Working the Angles. Later, a girlfriend during my senior year gave me a copy of Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work. Shortly after graduating, I read The Long Obedience, which focuses on the … Read more Eugene Peterson and a review of “A Burning in My Bones”
Jeff GarrisonBluemont and Mayberry ChurchesOctober 16, 2022“Lord, teach us to pray: The Lord’s Prayer, Part 1”Luke 11:1-4 Thoughts at the beginning of worship It’s good to be back with you this morning. While gone I did a lot of reading including Winn Collier’s biography of Eugene Peterson. Starting back in seminary, I began reading Peterson’s … Read more The Lord’s Prayer, Part 1
The blessings that are still being received: The garden season is almost over. I am currently enjoying fresh greens: lettuce, turnip greens, spinach, and Swiss chard. The bok choy is almost ready to eat. I had enjoyed these leafy vegetables in the spring, too, but they die out once the weather warms up. I also … Read more Garden Update
Did you miss my sermon on Sunday? Well, I ran away last week. And through this week I will have limited internet. My technology dry spell continues through the weekend. Next week, I’ll be at Calvin University and Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. But right now I am in a beautiful part of God’s creation, … Read more I’m traveling for a few weeks
Jeff GarrisonBluemont and Mayberry ChurchSeptember 18, 2022Galatians 1:11-2:10 At the beginning of worship Why do we tell our stories? What purpose do they serve? Well, they can be entertaining, which is important. I like to laugh. It’s good for the soul. But there are more important purposes to our stories. I have heard about the … Read more God’s Call and Church Unity
I am trying to catch up on reading reviews. Below are four reviews that contain fiction, poetry, philosophy, and history. I will start with the lighter books and move on to the more heavy ones. There’s something here for everyone! Aaron McAlexander, This Old Store (Stonebridge Press, 2014), 95 pages including photos and maps. There really … Read more Catching up on my reading
Jeff GarrisonBluemont and Mayberry ChurchesSeptember 11, 2022Luke 10:1-20 At the beginning of worship Do you ever want to do something big for God? You know, when we try to impress someone, we often try to do something that’s over the top. We buy our sweetheart the largest and best decorated heart filled with chocolate for … Read more Subsistence Discipleship
Dave and my introduction to Blue Hole Canoes In the winter of 1976, I was a freshman at University of North Carolina at Wilmington. One night, I attended the local Sierra Club meeting. The hot topic at the time was the protection of the New River, a river I’d paddled and felt I should become … Read more Dave, Blue Hole Canoes, Bill, Bob, and a book review
Jeff GarrisonMayberry and Bluemont ChurchesSeptember 4, 2022Luke 9:46-50 At the beginning of worship: Supposedly, the great 19th Century “Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon, was met at the doors of London’s Metropolitan Tabernacle one Sunday by an older woman. Greeting the preacher, she bragged that she had been very careful all week and hadn’t sinned at all. … Read more Called to Service, Not to Privilege
Montreat I’ve been on vacation this past week, which is why I didn’t post a sermon on Sunday. Instead, I spent five days at Montreat, a Presbyterian conference and retreat center in the mountains of North Carolina. While there, I caught up with an old friend from the time when we both lived in Hickory, … Read more Catching up and two book reviews