jamesmctyre

I know what you're thinking: "Is he the one who turned off the organ during the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service?" Yes. That was me. Do you remember that Christmas? I sure do. They assigned me to turn off the lights in the breaker box out there and I wanted to do a good job. You started singing Silent Night, and I started throwing switches, and it was the darkest, silentist night ever. Despite this stain on my resume, I grew up to become a pastor. And you found it in your hearts to invite me ba...

Ash Wednesday services are new to me. Until last year, I'd never even attended one. But, as with most churches, we did it last year, so it's a tradition. Presbyterians are not the most liturgical people. On the scale of 1 to Roman Catholic, we're south of Lutherans, but north of downtown Baptists. Years ago, in the days after Easter, the chairman of our Worship Committee strode into my office and said, "Here." And plopped a mason jar full of ashes on my desk. I said, "Is this someone I used to...