House of Hope

Water, the stuff of life or dangerous high seas. The staff of life or chaos and death. I find it fitting, and intriguing, that the story of Jesus baptism is paired in our lectionary readings with the first creation account of Day One in Genesis. But let me get there with a story from my early childhood. As a young boy, one of my favorite stories was about a little tug boat, Little Toot. Little Toot was the most rambunctious screw-up in New York harbor.... https://houseofhopesb.life/2021/01/10/out-of-chaos/

There’s a story of two small Baptist churches at an isolated Midwest crossroads. Both across the street from one another. This is the story. Somewhere along the line in the mid-fifties one of the pillars of the one of the churches died and left, what was for that poor congregation, a significant bequest. Within what was judged to be an appropriate time after they had put him in the ground, the Board of Deacons set about discussing what they should do with this handsome sum.... https://houseofhopesb.life/2020/12/20/marys-sunday/

This time of year, unless we’ve got COVID-19 or have been served an eviction notice, our hearts turn to the delights of the season. It may be our favorite dishes, a fond Christmas memory, a special gift you gave someone. For me, one cherished holiday favorite is Jai’s persimmon pudding topped with lemon sauce. More about that later. Memories flood in the good, the bad and the ugly.... https://houseofhopesb.life//of-persimmon-pudding-and-adve/

Many, many gone. Over seventeen thousand since election day alone. So many gone in this Dark Night of Despair. This Sunday we are summoned to wakefulness. We light the first Advent candle for HOPE. We are summoned to wakefulness. WAKE UP! When I was in medic training in Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, we learned all the various aspects of what would be required of us, whether we be out in the field or assigned to a hospital or dispensary stateside.... https://houseofhopesb.life/2020/11/29/wake-up/

When I would stay with my friend Artie for a sleepover yeah, we probably didn’t sleep much I can still see in my mind’s eye his picture of Jesus at the door knocking. The thing about this picture was it glowed in the dark. As Artie’s family was Roman Catholic, and he always asserted that his church was the One True Church, I thought it was fitting that his Jesus glowed in the dark.... https://houseofhopesb.life/2020/11/21/christ-in-a-mask/

When families get together, or when we used to get together before COVID-19, it didn’t take long before favorite stories to be shared around the circle. In our family, one of the favorites my brother and I regailed the family with was about our mom and the construction of the western village from the back of the Cherios box. On each box of Cherrios cereal there were one or two houses, maybe a barn, or something like a general store. [ 2,276 more words ] https://houseofhopesb.life/2020/10/03/tell-me-a-story/

As if there were not enough to worry about with coronavirus, elections, the economy in the tank - now this. NASA warns us that an asteroid is approaching Earth the day before Election Day, November 2nd. All the more reason to vote early. Remember what happened to the dinosaurs. Okay, it’s only a small one that has only an infinitesimal chance of hitting us. [ 2,463 more words ] https://houseofhopesb.life/2020/09/13/so-much-pain/

When I was a young boy our family would take trips from Compton into Los Angeles. Driving up Alameda Blvd., as we neared the downtown area the railroad tracks for all the industrial spurs would enter the street and run right up the center of the street. For a young child, it was both fascinating and scary. As a boy who loved trains, it was exciting to see them up close. [ 2,115 more words ] https://houseofhopesb.life/2020/09/06/stop-look-listen/

On Sunday morning I woke up with a racing heart and a sense of dread. I had just come back to consciousness from a terrible dream a nightmare, really. In this dream I was seated in my vestments ready to take the pulpit as a visiting preacher in this huge downtown Presbyterian church. Reflecting back, it looked like the huge sanctuary of Immanuel Presbyterian Church on Wilshire Blvd. [ 2,074 more words ] https://houseofhopesb.life//22/do-not-conform-be-transfor/

We moved to a new neighborhood when I was in my second year of high school. Now, I must confess that pretty much all through junior high and into my first year of high school, school was a social disaster. And an academic disaster. But moving to Lakewood didn’t help matters one bit. Exclusion was no more apparent than when lunch hour rolled around. [ 2,144 more words ] https://houseofhopesb.life/2020/08/16/the-cool-kids-table/

As July rolls into August, high seas and ferocious winds threaten to swamp the Ship of State. Huge surges of new waves of coronavirus inundate hospital emergency rooms. This week one of our own at St. Francis has been hospitalized with COVID-19 (she is slowly recuperating). Nationally, we are experiencing over one thousand deaths daily. California, Florida and Arizona have surpassed previous records for their daily death rates. [ 2,400 more words ] https://houseofhopesb.life//08/08/demon-seed-and-alien-dna/

I must be doing something wrong. But I am perplexed as to what it could be. This spring, as last spring, I went to my garden and scattered some seeds. Sweet Alyssum, Nasturtium, California Poppy. And what came up? Nothing. Just like last year. Even with lots of rain. We scattered packets of seeds of California Poppies around the statue of St. [ 2,843 more words ] https://houseofhopesb.life//with-sighs-too-deep-for-words/

The congregation was dumbstruck that Sunday morning as Jai and I stood before the altar during the time of announcements to announce that we were expecting. Yes, Abraham and Sarah, in our old age, expecting our first. I still remember one of the congregation busybodies taking me aside after the service to express her relief. I’m so glad to hear your announcement. [ 1,699 more word ] https://houseofhopesb.life/2020/07/19/as-in-travail/

Some will remember that Hot August Night when Neil Diamond stepped out onto the stage. The orchestra began with a winsome prelude that slowly crescendoed to a pulsing beat. Then began the first strains of that ballad that so aptly celebrates the promise of this nation for millions around the world, We’re coming to America. Neil Diamond in an iridescent blue shirt with flashing blue lights spangled about it, and the joyous crowd responding, Today. [ 2,258 more words ] https://houseofhopesb.life/2020//06/were-coming-to-america/

My first parish assignment at a little town in the upper Mojave Dessert. There I met a number of wonderful, faithful Christians. Yes, the town was little. My wife would have said infinitesimal. When we first arrived to be interviewed, in all of about one minute we had passed through the entire downtown section and crossed the railroad tracks back into open desert. [ 2,461 more words ] https://houseofhopesb.life/2020//21/if-this-stuff-was-easy/

Over fifty years ago I distinctly remember being lined up with a bunch of other guys in a dingy, depressing room, downtown L.A., and raising my right hand and swearing to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. We then stepped across a line painted on the floor and, instantly, I was no longer a civilian. For the next two years I would be a U.S. [ 2,754 more words ] https://houseofhopesb.life/2020/06/14/inducted/

Fired Up. Ready to Go. Four bishops gathered over the five days of the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in Southern California. From various local denominations, Episcopal, Roman Catholic and African Methodist Episcopal churches, they were invited to speak at the United Methodist Bishop Charles Golden’s, maiden Annual Conference that year in Southern California. On a hot, stifling afternoon, the Episcopal Bishop Fred Borsch was the first. As the body quieted...Continue reading

https://youtu.be/0slyeof6bN0 Meet the House of Hope Director of Recovery, Jim Rhoads.