July 17, 2025

This past Sunday’s sermon was about the “plumb lines” in our lives, the people who keep us straight and true and the heroes to whom we try to measure up. As examples, I shared a couple of my heroes, among them George Washington Carver. He is chiefly known today as the inventor of peanut butter, which is a popular myth, but he truly was both an accomplished artist and a brilliant scientist, and consulted with Theodore Roosevelt, Mahatma Ghandi, and Henry Ford. Less well known, Carver was not only a scientist, but a deeply committed Christian. His remarkable scientific career was spurred by his deep desire to improve the lives of poor farmers, especially those whose soil had been badly depleted by growing cotton. His combination of knowledge, wisdom, art, curiosity, and love are what has made him a plumb line for me. What traits of your heroes do you most aspire to share?

Here are a few G. W. Carver quotes to carry through the week:

It is not the style of clothes one wears, neither the kind of automobile one drives, nor the amount of money one has in the bank, that counts. These mean nothing. It is simply service that measures success.

When our thoughts—which bring actions—are filled with hate against anyone, Negro or white, we are in a living hell. That is as real as hell will ever be.

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting system, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.

Our creator is the same and never changes despite the names given Him by people here and in all parts of the world. Even if we gave Him no name at all, He would still be there, within us, waiting to give us good on this earth.

Formation Topics
Formation this week (Sunday July 7) will be a discussion of ministries in the Church. We’ll talk about ordination, licensed lay ministries, and what it means to be called. We’ll also take some time to talk about discernment and how to hear what God might be calling to do.

On Sunday July 27 Michelle will be leading a discussion about Centering prayer.

Looking down the road, on Sunday August 3 we’ll talk about Resurrection’s Lady chapel and the idea of prayer to saints.