Finger pointing is rampant and dominating the conversation, massive problems are re-crisply defined and loudly complained about, news shows and documentaries routinely close with the thought …

When you think of kindness what comes to mind? Do you envision saying “please” and “thank you?” Or holding the door open for someone entering the store behind you? Maybe being there for …

I enjoy social media. It can be a gift. There is a way that it makes us more connected than ever. It also gives us quick access to some of the finest music, film, arts, and culture. We can also use …

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the youth of our church in the outdoors. While it was not the first time being outdoors with our youth, this particular experience left a …

Pontius Pilate was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea. Most famously, he was the one who presided over the trial of Jesus. During an exchange recorded in John 18, Pilate asked Jesus; …

Editor’s note: The Beacon is revisiting Worship columns by some of our retired writers. This piece that ran March 18, 2009, is by Jeff Dutra, former pastor of Family Life Center. No doubt …

Kids are in trouble. They feel more isolated, forgotten, and detached than ever before. The pandemic has made their lives difficult, but the crisis started long before that. In 2002, American …

Editor’s note: The Beacon is revisiting Worship columns by some of our retired writers. This piece that ran May 7, 2008 is by Mark Smith, former senior pastor of Mukilteo Presbyterian Church. Of …

Voting is a civic right and responsibility. Voting is a moral obligation. Making sure that every eligible person has equal access to the ballot box is an act of good citizenry. In Judaism …

We are at a crisis point with gun violence in America. It’s time for people of faith across our country to come together in the name of human life. Let’s be clear, all of society suffers …

Ever meet one of those people … you know … one of THOSE people … who just can’t stop talking about their diet? “My diet says this; my diet says that.” “I can’t eat this; that’s …

While Jehovah’s Witnesses have chosen to temporarily suspend their door-to-door ministry due to the pandemic, their activity was almost permanently banned by one U.S. village in the late 1990s — …

“Keep your eye on the donut, but don’t just keep your eye on the hole inside the donut, or the donut itself, keep your eye on the whole donut including the space that surrounds it!” – Vin …

Hello friends! I got all too indulgently spikey in my writing this time, selfishly allowing myself a big vent over the jaw-dropping and indefensible dithering of the leaders of the free world. Even …

In 2008, I was three years into my then career at FedEx Express in Hawthorne, California. I was in ASPIRE, which was an apprenticeship program to become an operations manager within the company. …

Congratulations to all of the new graduates! What a wonderful achievement and a milestone in your young life. As you plan and prepare to enter into your next phase in life, I hope you get the …

Editor’s note: The Beacon is revisiting Worship columns by some of our retired writers. This piece that ran Feb. 20, 2008 is by Mark Smith, former senior pastor of Mukilteo Presbyterian …

I am mourning the loss of a good friend. My high school friend Dean, who died unexpectedly recently at age 53, was a Gulf War Marine veteran. He also studied film in Paris and spent decades …

“The abortion debate in America is often framed as a legal binary, with ‘pro-life’ people on one side and ‘pro-choice’ people on the other. But as the country approaches what could be a …

It is interesting to read throughout scriptures how important and often the word “love” is used. We read that faith, hope and love are central to all living, but that love is the greatest of …