Eric Cooter

Isaiah 56:1,6-8; Psalm 67; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28 My wife Terri and I have a seven-year-old long-haired miniature dachshund named Oscar. He is the fourth doxie we have loved in our 27 years of marriage. Oscar has a way of looking at me. You know the look — head tilted, ears perked, eyes fixed on my face like I am the only thing in the world worth watching. I sneak banana or apple to him more often than I would like to admit. He sleeps where he wants-- usually so...

Isaiah 55:1-5; Psalm 145: 8-9, 15-22; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21 MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (INTRO) I love the Mission Impossible movies, are you familiar? If not, let me give you a quick preview. The main character is Ethan Hunt, a super spy who he never acts alone. He leads the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) that uses incredible devices, superb intellect, and special forces like skills, to achieve what often seems like an extremely arduous assignment. The IMF team is not like...

Isaiah 44:6-8; Psalm 86:11-17; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30,36-43 Isaiah 44:6-8; Psalm 86:11-17; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30,36-43 Dad's Farm I can say that I personally feel connected to the parable Jesus preached in today's Gospel reading. Jesus taught about "weeds in the field" and was trying to describe the messiness and imperfections of the Kingdom of Heaven. My late father grew up very poor on a farm in East Tennessee, and when he became an adult, he built our...