Rev. Andrew's Adventures

Though we can’t think alike, may we not love alike?  May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion?  Without all doubt we may.  Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences.  These remaining as they are, they may forward one another in love and in good works.  – John Wesley from his sermon, “A Catholic Spirit” I must be very honest that I am coming to dislike election season more and more every four years.  It is hard to go a day without being bombarded by advertisements from candidates on both sides, mostly attacking one another and trying to undermine each other.  And social media is another story, as it seems like I cannot scroll down my Facebook or Twitter newsfeeds without seeing someone posting why we need to vote for Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Gary Johnson, or Jill Stein.  But it is also seeing some of the comments from others that make me shake my head, hence why I do my best t...

Community UMC, Quincy “The Shoe is on the Other Foot” Pastor Andrew Davis September 25, 2016 Luke 16: 19-31         Contrary to the fact that many big-box stores are already decorated for it, Christmas is still three months away from today. But given the context of our Gospel lesson this morning, I really can’t help but think about Charles Dickens’ timeless classic, A Christmas Carol .  Now I know I’m probably asking a very redundant question here, but how many of you have read A Christmas Carol at one time or another in your life?  While my earliest experience with A Christmas Carol came thanks to the adaptations via Disney or the Muppets, I remember actually reading Dickens' A Christmas Carol in my 7 th grade English class and in one of my high school English classes.  Nevertheless, we encounter Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly, bitter, greedy, stingy rich man who has nothing good to say as a result of his unhappiness wi...

Community UMC, Quincy September 18, 2016 “Faithful with Little, Faithful with Much” Luke 16: 1-13 Pastor Andrew Davis   While I'm not very comfortable the title or implications of this movie per se, I remember when the movie “Dumb and Dumber” with Jim Carey and Jeff Daniels came out in 1994. Being the typical thirteen-year old who found Jim Carey’s sick antics rather funny at the time, I was quite drawn to this movie.   Now if you haven’t seen it, or it’s been awhile, “Dumb and Dumber” is about two men in their late 30’s, maybe early 40’s named Lloyd (played by Jim Carey), and Harry (played by Jeff Daniels) who engage in wild and silly antics and can’t seem to hold a job either.   Before being fired as a limo driver, Lloyd’s passenger, Mary Swanson (played by Lauren Holly) catches Lloyd’s interest as he drives her to the airport, but leaves behind a briefcase which Lloyd then makes his mission to return to her even though it’s part of a complicated r...

Community UMC, Quincy “Finding the Lost Among Us” September 11, 2011 Pastor Andrew Davis Luke 15: 1-10         There is no doubt that many of us still remember where we were and what we were doing fifteen years ago this morning when we first heard the news of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, followed by the crash of United Flight 93 in rural Pennsylvania.  It was a surreal morning; one of those mornings that felt like a bad dream, but no, this was really happening.  When my TV came on at 6:30am as it was timed to do, I was still semi-asleep, but knew something was not right from the urgent and serious tone that the anchor team on Good Day Sacramento was using instead of their typical morning zoo antics.  However, I was fully awake when I watched in horror and helplessness as the twin towers fell to the ground.  Today is a day where the raw emotions still come to the surface as we remember the traged...