The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2022, Dr. Tamilio Have you ever wondered why brides wear veils? It is not as popular as it used to be, but many a bride will still don one when she walks down the aisle with her father. I have officiated at numerous weddings throughout my ministry, […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2022, Dr. Tamilio Have you ever noticed that certain parts of Scripture just seem…too idealistic? Let’s be honest. It’s not blasphemy to point out the obvious. Some of the things Jesus says just seem, well, too hard to even imagine, let alone practice. Do we really love […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2022, Dr. Tamilio I had just finished my Master of Arts degree in English. It was the spring of 1992. I should have already applied to Ph.D. programs in English but found myself twiddling my thumbs instead. Something was holding me back and I did not know […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2022, Dr. Tamilio If you’ve heard me preach in the past for any length of time, you’ve probably heard me say (every so often) that none of the readings in the Lectionary struck me that week. This is rare, but it happens. This week, it’s the opposite. […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2022, Dr. Tamilio As we approached Christmas, we finished our Bible study on the Gospel of John. John’s account is interesting. After his highly philosophical introduction — “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” — John the […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2022, Dr. Tamilio We are stuck in between two days. Epiphany, the day that the Magi come to the manger to present their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, was last Thursday, and since we do not have worship on Thursdays, we commemorate this twelfth day of […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III I was not the student who reminded the teacher to assign homework, but I have to confess that part of me was always glad to start the new school year. Don’t get me wrong: I always wished that summer could be longer, and I was a bit sad when […]
The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor © 2021, Dr. Tamilio Advent is such a somber time. Although we are preparing ourselves to commemorate the birth of Jesus — and the Gospel readings show us that we also use this time to prepare for Christ’s return at the end of time — it seems to […]
Advent II: Peace The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III, Pastor “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” ~ John 14:27 I have never been one prone to rest. My wife, Cindy, is […]
ADVENT I REFLECTION: HOPE The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III Last summer, as many of you know, I was on sabbatical. I spent those months doing a lot of reading, research and praying. My focus was on both congregational care and evangelism. Unfortunately, when I returned, I was hit with several funerals in September and […]