Were you there…? That haunting question, from one of the oft sung hymns of holy week, brought me back to a family trip years ago to the Swiss Alps. There we fell in love with Lucerne, a quaint, picturesque city in the heart of the Swiss Alps, centered on a lake with ducks that dive deep into the water for their food. Those looking for an adventure can take a cable car ride to Mt. Pilatus for stunn...  Read More

On March 12, 2024, a barge carrying 200 tons of rice, flour, lentils, and canned meats left Cyprus. It took three days for the ship, the Open Arms, to tow the barge 210 nautical miles across the Mediterranean Sea to a makeshift jetty constructed out of rubble off the coast of Gaza. The goal according to Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen: “to establish a maritime highway of boats an...  Read More

Four years ago…Reports splashed across our news feeds of a deadly virus that was rapidly infecting the nation. For days, the news media depicted the spread with maps dotted in red showing the virus quickly reaching epidemic levels- the East coast its last and certain target. As a pastor, I was on my knees for wisdom. Should Lenape Valley Church close our doors to protect our people from the potent...  Read More

The news came as no surprise… a bittersweet moment for every Philadelphian who loves the game. Yesterday, Jason Kelce announced his retirement after 13 years as the Center for the Philadelphia Eagles. Thirteen years, two Super Bowl appearances, one Super Bowl championship, six first team All Pro selections, Kelce ended his career with 156 consecutive starts earning him the Iron Man record for the...  Read More

CBS- the initials not of a TV station, but of a brilliant young man… a Yale educated AllAmerican lacrosse player who went on to be a successful day trader on Wall Street. The demands of his day job never kept him from answering a text or making a call. His friends knew that he cared, that he would always put the need of another first. When an infection threatened to take his life, it was my privi...  Read More

A confession… Sunday morning, I was in a rush… so many last-minute details to refine before worship. I am a perfectionist in a business that defies perfection, yet that does not prevent me from rushing into the church building early on Sunday morning to attempt the impossible. In the front door, through the lobby, down the hall, and into my office… I dumped my briefcase, purse, and assorted suppli...  Read More