Deep Something

No Kings Day: A Stand Against Power and Injustice

June 13, 2025 B. John 857 Views 0 Comments Wesley, Parade, methodist, Church, Trump, Authoritarianism, Protest

This Saturday, people will rise across 2,000 U.S. cities, including Tampa, united in one unflinching message: “No Kings.” This is not a protest born of idle dissent. It is a fierce rebuke of President Donald Trump and a social order built on abuse of power. Flag Day plus Trump’s 79th birthday equals a military parade costing taxpayers $25–45?million. The implicit message? A cult of personality masquerading as patriotism. For United Methodists grounded in Wesleyan conviction, this is intolerable. John and Charles Wesley stood against social evil, not in quiet tones but with prophetic boldness, calling out power when it crushes the least among us. That same courage calls us now to confront policies that tear at the fabric of our communities.

Gay Issues Methodism Religion Society

The Discomfort of Faith-My Experience at the Methodist General Conference

May 19, 2012May 25, 2012 B. John 1268 Views 0 Comments General Conference, bishop, Faith, homophobia, Reconciling Ministries Network, Church, Methodist Federation for Social Action, bigotry, African, Africa, Martin Luther King

I’ve been thinking back over the time I got spend recently at the quadrennial General Conference of the United Methodist Church held here in Tampa this year. It was a big event, and it was a mess from a church polity standpoint. Like Congress, little of great substance was accomplished, and few longstanding issues were resolved, but that may be a good thing. Here, I reflect on the experience.

Religion Society

Prayer to Dismiss Sunday School Class on 9-11

September 11, 2011August 10, 2015 555 Views 1 Comment Psalms, War, Church, Sunday School, Terrorism, Peace, 9/11, Palma Ceia United Methodist, Peacemakers, Beatitudes

I seem to be called on often to give the prayer at the end of our Sunday School class. We just started a study of the Beatitudes, and of course the 9/11 commemoration services were all over the TV and radio this morning. Just before going into Church I heard President Obama at the Memorial in New York read Psalm 46. I try to make the prayer topical with current events and the lesson, so this is most of what I recall saying:

Religion Society

A New Series-Prayers and Meditations

January 3, 2010 B. John 322 Views 0 Comments prayer, Church, Sunday School, PCUMC, Palma Ceia United Methodist

It seems I’m frequently asked to offer the closing prayer for my Sunday School class. I guess some are good enough that I’ve been asked to get them down for possible future publication. This seems to be as good a place as any. So this will be the first in what may become a series.

Politics Courts Religion

Supreme Court Justice Scalia Flips Finger in Church

March 27, 2006September 29, 2018 B. John 255 Views Church, Obscene Gesture, supreme court, Antonin Scalia

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia startled reporters in Boston just minutes after attending a mass, by flipping a middle finger to his critics. There is a photo.

Religion

Politcs Of Methodist Appointment System

June 5, 2005January 25, 2012 B. John 444 Views bishop, methodist, Church, Timothy Whitaker, Rev. Kevin James, District Superintendant, cross-cultural

Boy, if you thought good ‘ol American politics could get crazy, you ain’t seen nuthin until you’ve seen the Methodist Church’s system for appointing ministers.