We use the phrase 'doubting Thomas' like it's a bad thing.  But is doubting always bad?  Put yourself in Thomas's shoes for a moment, when the rest of the disciples report they had seen the one he knew had been crucified.  How would you have reacted?

My Message for April 7.  I am thinking about a variant of the Velveteen Rabbit for the story.

Courage to Doubt: Courage to Believe 2013 04 07  Acts 5:12-32; John 20:19-31

I just posted a blog in WC that I posted on our church website yesterday in response to the CBC commentary on advertising by churches.  I believe this may be the same commentary that sparked another thread.  Our webmaster offered his appreciation for my posting of the blog -- found it very helpful for him.

I have posted my message for next Sunday in a blog.  My story is fictional and about a girl who dared to believe she could change her school.  My message is about finding joy in hopes we have for the future grounded in the willingness to make those hopes happen.

My draft story and message for December 16.

Story:  Dare to Believe 

Is 12:1-6;  Luke 1:26-55 2012 12 16

I just posted my story and message for Easter Sunday in a blog.  I felt pulled to present a very different message from my usual Easter messages.

The following is my story and message for Easter Sunday.  I decided to take an approach quite different from my usual Easter messages.

Story  Lydia

Sometimes we face large changes in our life that can be frightening when we can’t see what waits on the other side of that change. 

Men willingly believe what they wish.

Gaius Julius Caesar

(Im going to sssume that includes women-kind :-)

This sort of fits in to the well nourished "Love Jesus hate religion" thread---

Wow. What a mingling of beliefs!

CNN's belief blog

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/08/10-things-the-belief-blog-learned-in-its-first-year/

in an interesting compendium of stories about religion, especially in the United States. Well worth some time spent.