…On Gratitude as a Way of Life

Welcome from
Eric O. Ledermann

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Thanks for stopping in. Pour yourself a cup o' jo, take a load off your feet, and check out what's here. You are looking at my ramblings about issues of faith, life and culture—they are my own and are not necessarily shared by those with whom I work, live or otherwise engage.

Feel free to share your comments and engage in any conversation that may be happening here, but just know that I do reserve the right to delete any spam or anything I deem inappropriate or offensive. I look forward to dialoguing with anyone who cares to dialogue!

Peace and blessings,

A Pope Resigns with Wisdom and Grace

There is wisdom in knowing one’s limits. There is wisdom in knowing one’s abilities. The news this week is that Pope Benedict XVI is resigning, the first to do so in 600 years. There have been numerous times in my career as a pastor when I have felt the need to counsel someone on their abilities and limits as it pertains to the offices of the Presbyterian Church, or being a church school teacher, or [...]

A Letter to Anti-Church Prognosticators: Just Cut the Crap Already!

To those who would say that the Church is an antiquated and dying institution that continues to cling to the myth of an all powerful God:

Mission trips, Sunday nights, summer beach campouts, and food fights in the fellowship hall were all part of my church experience. We got into our fair share of trouble. But our youth group was the place where I could be myself and discover myself at the same time. It [...]

A Good Word – A Collection of Sermons in Response to the Sandy Hook Massacre

I highly recommend this collection of some of the sermons that were preached Dec. 16th in the aftermath of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut—assembled by my friend Landon and made available as a free PDF download at his blog site:

http://landonwhitsitt.com/2012/12/22/free-ebook-a-good-word-sermons-prayers-and-liturgies-in-response-to-the-shooting-at-sandy-hook-elementary/

He has graciously included my sermon and many others by friends and other great preachers. These are laments of anguish, words of hope, and prophetic truths. I commend [...]

The Promise of Joy: A Response to the Massacre in Connecticut

President Obama pauses while addressing the nation from the White House briefing room the afternoon of the shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. (Dec. 14, 2012)

Below is the sermon I preached on December 16, 2012 at University Presbyterian Church, the third Sunday in Advent, in response to the shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The audio version is available on my [...]

But I don’t wanna wait!

It’s interesting that we celebrate two different seasons as one: Advent and Christmas. Every year the same discussions are had in congregations all over the country, usually between the pastor and the folks who are in charge of music, whether a music director, choir, or a committee.

The People: Why can’t we sing the Christmas Carols we love so much in Advent? Is it really that important? Pastor: Because this is not Christmas, it [...]