As we approach the 2024 Paris Olympics, I look forward to seeing all the competing athletes and the sporting events they will participate in. However, I will admit that of all the sports, the ones I …

So Russia sends its very accurate blockbuster cruise missile (designed to sink an aircraft carrier) into Kyiv’s only hospital for particularly challenged children. The United Nations condemns …

Happy summer 2024! I hope this message finds you excited for the season. As I look forward to the Pacific Northwest summer, two things quickly come to mind: sun and vacation. I hope these rank high …

We are blessed in Mukilteo to have the Cascades at our backs and the Olympic mountains across the waters looking down on us. We are surrounded by beauty. Sometimes we might even take this beauty for …

We recently needed some plumbing work done at our home. When the plumber, Zach, arrived to fix our problem, he was not alone. He brought along his apprentice Caleb. I was quite impressed to …

These last few weeks have been difficult for me. It’s harder than I thought it would be. As the last day of worship before my retirement draws closer, I find that every conversation, every …

Congratulations to all our graduates! I think I can speak for all to say that we are excited for you and look forward to everything you will achieve. No matter how old we get, we all have the …

Imagine bad-faith actors maliciously targeting you online by using the app Facecheck.ID, posting your photo with disinformation, attacking your character and reputation, and endangering your life. …

Hello, friends! I have, indeed, been taught, by the most stringent professionals on the planet, the electron microscope definition of the word “watch”: the U.S. Navy. I have credentials. …

T he Gospel message, also called “The Good News,” is quite simple: acknowledging that you have sinned and need the risen Son of God, Jesus Christ, to save your soul and to lead you …

As a rabbi, you are most likely expecting me to write about a Jewish holiday or topic for my Worship column. Instead, I feel compelled to write about how I celebrated the Muslim holy month of …

Editor’s note: The Beacon is revisiting Worship columns by some of our retired writers. This piece that ran Oct. 31, 2012, is by Mark Smith, former senior pastor of Mukilteo Presbyterian …

The longer I am in ministry the more I see the problem of what we have come to know as “burnout.” The story is all too familiar. In the beginning, a person has a passion and a …

Hello friends, I hope this writing finds you well. My daughter, who now lives in Australia, is visiting with her daughter. It is an absolute joy having her and our granddaughter with us. The …

On Easter morning, there is usually the rush of kids and egg hunts, hopefully also church service and then the big family get-together for a meal. We all have our routines around this Christian …

I have the best job in the world! For more than 35 years, I have served among people who I love and respect. It has been an honor and a privilege. I have met amazing people along the way. …

As anyone who knows me knows, I am a pastor who loves movies. As the recent Oscar ceremonies made clear, this has been a bountiful year for superior film craft. Allow me to share about a few of my …

Today, I have good news and bad news. Thankfully, I still know fellow Americans who regularly encourage empathy and compassion towards fellow human beings, recognizing shared struggles and values, …

Anyone ever wire money to help that Nigerian prince who keeps finding himself in jail? Probably not, but if you have then I’ve got 40 acres of prime swamp land I’d like to sell you. …

Editor’s note: The Beacon is revisiting Worship columns by some of our retired writers. This piece that ran Dec. 31, 2019 is by Mark Smith, former senior pastor of Mukilteo Presbyterian Church. …