Coping Live Talk

12/14/2025

After two years on pause, Coping Live Talk returns with a simple question: Where are we? Not rushing answers. Practicing patience. Choosing not to fear.

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12/07/2025

I never thought I would read in America about detainees in “Alligator Alcatraz” facing treatment that reads like a page torn from my childhood memories of Soviet gulags.

My mother used to warn me:
“Не плюй в колодец — пригодится водицы напиться.” — Don’t spit into the well—you may need that water someday.

A society that mistreats the most vulnerable is poisoning its own well.
The water will come back to us.
And Scripture never lets us pretend otherwise.

So we hold our communities close, pray for courage, and choose not to look away.
Justice is not a political stance—it is a spiritual posture.
And silence in the face of suffering is never the way of Christ.

11/02/2025

Watch and act!!!

This is "Pastoral message: Showing up for our neighbors" by Greater Northwest Episcopal Area on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people…

11/06/2024

The Serenity Prayer
by Reinhold Niebuhr

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next. Amen.

11/05/2024

Listen to Adam Hamilton on NPR, Mega Church And Mega Issues: Pastor Adam Hamilton

1A on NPR One | 34:40

11/03/2024

Today we celebrated All Saints Day, and in my sermon, “What If There Is No Heaven,” I talked about the importance of the only commandment that takes us closer to the Kingdom of God here and now: Love God and Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Now, as we get closer to the Election Day, I want to share Boris Pasternak’s poem “God Sends Us to Each Other.”

God sends us all to one another,
For joy or sorrow — none can say,
Until we’ve walked our given circle,
Until we’ve learned the lessons laid,
And passed the tests life sets our way.

We need each other till the end,
Though usefulness may seem unclear.
Our roles are rarely of true weight,
And tenderness may hesitate,
At times too distant, harsh, or near.

Who knows the reason we’re entwined?
What binds, connects, and holds us close?
Together, day by day, we find
Ourselves in one another’s eyes,
Unmasking what we fear and know.

The roads ahead still call us on,
And friendship on that path is grace.
So, let us not dismiss as vain:
GOD SENDS US ALL TO ONE ANOTHER.
And thanks to God — we are not few.

10/18/2024

Can we all stand by each other and play and work together like in this documentary? Playing For Change: Peace Through Music. Best musicians from different backgrounds around the world recorded by the Playing For Change team during their travels. This song continues to remind us that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people

🎶🌍 Pre-order our latest album Songs For Humanity now! https://shop.playingforchange.com/collections/songs-for-humanity 🎧✨From the award-winning documentar...

10/11/2024

Today my daughter shared a picture of the new Tesla Cybertruck, and I admitted to her that when I saw that monster on Highway I-70, my first instinct was to move one lane over—self-preservation kicking in! Its alien-like design turned me off. For a moment, I wondered, alien attack! 🤯

But honestly, it brought back memories of the Russian бронетранспортер (armored carrier) and the newer military trucks I’ve seen in the news used in Iraq and Ukraine БTP. That sharp, angular design clearly looks military, as if it’s built for more than just city streets. What else could I compare it to? Look at the pictures!
Would you drive one of these?

09/14/2024

Looking back, I feel lucky having teachers like Everette DeVan, Doug Auwarter, Rich Hill, Charles Beard, and Denise Knowlton. It has been quite a ride.

07/17/2024

Research shows that attending a faith-based service four times per month could add four to 14 years to your life expectancy.
If religion isn’t your cup of tea, there’s always the opportunity to dive deep into your own personal wellness. Seek out a squad that makes you feel accepted and seen, whether that’s your local CrossFit gym or a weekly trivia ritual at the restaurant down the block.
Know your “why”:
When you know why you wake up in the morning and have a purpose in your day-to-day life, research shows that you can add up to seven years to your life expectancy.
The Japanese concept of Ikigai encourages individuals to find their personal calling or purpose, adds Dr. Loy, who recommends asking yourself four questions and finding where these answers intersect:
What do I love? (Passion)
What am I good at? (Profession)
What does the world need? (Mission)
What can I be compensated for? (Profession).

07/12/2024

Broadway is Coming to Independence First United Methodist Church

Get ready to experience the magic of Broadway right here in Independence this summer during our worship series!