Of the Change of Seasons by Pastor Donnie BrooksMarcellus United Methodist Churchpastordonnieb@outlook.com Autumn steadily flows into this night As the light steadily descends from the day The air becomes cooler as the green of … [Read more...] about Contemplation Corner: Of the Change of Seasons
Contemplation Corner: It’s a wonderful life. . .
“Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.” – Clarence Odbody (It’s a Wonderful Life, Paramount) by Pastor Donnie BrooksMarcellus United Methodist Churchpastordonnieb@outlook.com It’s a Wonderful Life is one of my favorite … [Read more...] about Contemplation Corner: It’s a wonderful life. . .
Contemplation Corner: “do not think we must be solemn in order to meditate.”
“Please do not think we must be solemn in order to meditate. Whether or not we are happy depends on our awareness. When you have a toothache, you think not having a toothache will make you very happy. But when you don’t have a toothache, … [Read more...] about Contemplation Corner: “do not think we must be solemn in order to meditate.”
Contemplation Corner: “We can’t try hard to relax. . .”
“We can’t try hard to relax, just as we can’t use a lot of strict effort to be mindful. When we practice together as a community, our practice of mindfulness becomes more joyful, more relaxed, and steady. We are bells of mindfulness for … [Read more...] about Contemplation Corner: “We can’t try hard to relax. . .”
Contemplation Corner: “To be surprised. . .”
“To be surprised, to wonder, is to begin to understand” – Jose Ortega y Gasset by Pastor Donnie BrooksMarcellus United Methodist Churchpastordonnieb@outlook.com Ortega is an early 20th century Spanish philosopher, essayist, and … [Read more...] about Contemplation Corner: “To be surprised. . .”
Contemplation Corner: Oppression involved a failure of the imagination
“Oppression involves a failure of the imagination: the failure to imagine the full humanity of other human beings." - Margaret Atwood by Pastor Donnie BrooksMarcellus United Methodist Churchpastordonnieb@outlook.com … [Read more...] about Contemplation Corner: Oppression involved a failure of the imagination
Contemplation Corner: All that is living, all that we see about us, is one body. . .
“The Roman philosopher Seneca asserted that all that is living, all that we see about us, is one body; even as our own hands, feet, stomach and bones, we are all members of one body. We have all been born alike, we all alike seek our own … [Read more...] about Contemplation Corner: All that is living, all that we see about us, is one body. . .
Ask a Pastor for the week of November 3, 2025
Pastor Donnie Brooks of the Marcellus United Methodist Church answers your questions at pastordonnieb@outlook.com Pastor Donnie, is “Christian nationalism” Christian?Part IV So we’ve looked at what “Christianity” is its … [Read more...] about Ask a Pastor for the week of November 3, 2025
Contemplation Corner: “First the fall, and then the recovery from the fall. . .”
“First the fall, and then the recovery from the fall, and both are the mercy of God.”– Julian of Norwichnce....” -Kwame Anthony Appiah by Pastor Donnie BrooksMarcellus United Methodist Churchpastordonnieb@outlook.com … [Read more...] about Contemplation Corner: “First the fall, and then the recovery from the fall. . .”
Have questions? Ask a Pastor for the week of October 27, 2025
Pastor Donnie Brooks of the Marcellus United Methodist Church answers your questions at pastordonnieb@outlook.com Pastor Donnie, is “Christian nationalism” Christian? Part III A 2023 book, Jesus and the … [Read more...] about Have questions? Ask a Pastor for the week of October 27, 2025
Ask a Pastor – October 23, 2025
Pastor Donnie Brooks of the Marcellus United Methodist Church answers your questions at pastordonnieb@outlook.com Pastor Donnie, is “Christian nationalism” Christian?Part II How strange that He would wait nearly 2 … [Read more...] about Ask a Pastor – October 23, 2025
Contemplation Corner: “. . . a privilege of the powerful. . . “
“Thoroughgoing ignorance about the ways of others is largely a privilege of the powerful. The well-traveled polyglot is as likely to be among the worst off as among the best off — as likely to be found in a shantytown as the Sorbonne. So … [Read more...] about Contemplation Corner: “. . . a privilege of the powerful. . . “