How many of us remember the old detective series Columbo on TV back in the 1970s?   As a mystery series, it was unique because each show started with the actual murder (always committed by that week's guest star). Then our rumpled detective Columbo, wearing a baggy raincoat, would be introduced to the scene, and we would wonder how he was going to crack the case. He would bumble along slowly in his abnormally calm, questioning manner, always waiting until just before he part

-- the Rev. Leslie Barnes Scoopmire Readings: 2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c Psalm 111 2 Timothy 2:8-15 Luke 17:11-19 On October 1, the church's calendar of saints recognized the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux. As I was going about my prayers that day, I did some investigation into her life, and I found this tale of an encounter with the saint:   A man from Canada spent years traveling to Europe and doing a lot of work to promote the message of Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flowe

Whether we believe in heaven or hell-- or Hades-- or not, the fact is that what we do with our lives matters, and how we respond to the human needs and suffering we know exist all around us-- is what matters.

by the Rev. Leslie Scoopmire Readings: Amos 8:4-7 Psalm 113 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Luke 16:1-13 Wealthy in Soul-- Sermon for the 15th Sunday after Pentecost   Once there was a man who had two sons, and his younger son came to him and asked for his inheritance to be settled upon him now. So his father gave him his share, and the younger sone went off to a foreign country, where he promptly spent all he had on wild living, food drink, parties, and a questionabbleentourage of hangers-o