First United Methodist Church Richardson, Texas

A Place to Be Myself - Christina's Story

October 24, 2016

Growing up, I attended the traditional worship service at First United Methodist Church Richardson. After college, I was fortunate enough to travel to South Africa on a mission trip with the church in 2014. While there, I met my now husband who was youth pastor and leader of the contemporary worship service at the partner church. I knew we’d need to find a community in which to call our own when he moved to Dallas. I wanted to find a place where we would both be comfortable being ourselves...

Part 2, "Crystallization of Contentment"

October 21, 2016

Last week I wrote about the idea of a “crystallization of discontent” where the realization that lots of annoying things are all linked together prompts you to take action. The opposite can also happen. You can experience a “crystallization of contentment.”

God on the Sidelines - Ryan's Story

October 17, 2016

My father’s career caused us to move every few years during my childhood. In every new community we settled in my parents were adamant about finding a church home. We grew up attending weekly Sunday school classes, were baptized and confirmed. Yet, as a high school student I chose to attend a different church as I found a personal connection with another worship community and my parents were fully supportive of my decision to follow Christ outside of their church. While I was active in my faith but it was often a secondary priority even during those years.

Part 1: "Crystallization of Discontent"

October 14, 2016

I received an e-mail recently seeking stories of sudden realizations that prompted a major life change. The e-mail came from Chip and Dan Heath, authors of many leadership and communications books I have read. They shared the story of Julie, an office worker, who saw a co-worker really enjoying her job. Julie realized that the co-worker held a position she would likely hold in a few years. Julie also realized that she would never enjoy it like her co-worker did. In a flash of insight Julie realized that many of the annoyances she experienced at work were actually all connected. They were part of the job, a job that was a poor fit for Julie’s personality. Julie had experienced a “crystallization of discontent” that led her to seek a career change.

New Country, New People, New Church - Andy's Story

October 10, 2016

I arrived in Dallas in March of 2013, new country, new people, new church. Besides my fiancé, I knew no one. We started regularly attending the evening contemporary service, Access, and it wasn’t long before I was introduced to others close to our age, making me feel welcome...

Is Your Life an Ocean or a Ball of Clay?

October 07, 2016

“Some people see life like an ocean. They go where the current takes them. Other people see life like a ball of clay in their hands – something to be held and shaped and molded.” WaitButWhy blogger, Tim Urban, began a recent postwith those statements and used stick-figure drawings to illustrate the pros and cons of each approach. He concluded, “The question isn’t whether life is better lived as an ocean or a ball of clay. It’s about when is the right, and the wrong time for each one.

Thoughts on God and Marriage after 20 Years

September 23, 2016

Twenty years ago next Wednesday my father-in-law rang a steeple bell in a small church in rural Ohio. That bell began an hour-long worship service that included hymns, communion, and Heather and I vowing our commitment to each other “until we are parted by death.” In the intervening years I’ve recognized 4 important things about God and faith and how they’ve helped our marriage endure.

Connect Better to God, Reduce E-mail Overload

September 16, 2016

A few months ago I made a change to my daily routine. I predicted it would connect me more personally to some of you. I didn’t predict it would reduce my time-consuming e-mails or remind me that some prayers work better than others. I switched to “high-bandwidth” communication.

I Dream of a Church like Sears

September 02, 2016

I love Sears. Whenever I go to the mall I park outside Sears just so I can walk through the Craftsman tools section. Not everyone likes it as much as I do. They don’t get the appeal of looking at wrenches, sockets, and screwdrivers and imagining the amazing projects that could be. If that’s you, it’s ok. I understand. No, I don’t really, but read on anyway, because this story is about more than tools.

Intriguing Things that Make God Angry

August 19, 2016

This week I came across an intriguing phrase about Jesus in Mark 3:5: “He looked around at them with anger.” This wasn’t the scene where Jesus throws over tables in the temple. It was in the midst of a conversation about healing. It got me wondering what other surprising references to God’s anger I might find in the Bible.

Jedi Enter Religious Politics in Australia

August 05, 2016

This past week Heather and I spent some time away celebrating our 20th anniversary. The actual day isn’t until next month, so I’ll wait a few weeks to write about our marriage, the blessing it’s been, and the role faith has played in it. This week I want to share some news about Jedi and how they’re affecting religious politics in Australia.

Homosexuality and United Methodists in the News

July 29, 2016

Homosexuality and the United Methodist Church have been in the news recently. A May meeting of representatives from across the globe and the recent election of an openly lesbian clergyperson to the position of bishop have highlighted deep divisions within our church. In this week’s blog post I’ll explain what’s happened and what it means. And then Sunday at Access we’ll look at how Christians reading the same Bible come to such different conclusions about homosexuality.