Author Archives: Norman Bendroth

About Norman Bendroth

Norman Bendroth is a Professional Transition Specialist certified by the Interim Ministry Network. He has served as a settled pastor in two United Church of Christ congregations and as a Sr. Interim pastor in seven other UCC congregations. He was also an executive for three different non-profit agencies. He has had additional training in Mediation Skills for Church Leaders from the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center and training in Appreciative Inquiry from the Clergy Leadership Institute. Rev. Bendroth has the M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and his D. Min. from Andover Newton Theological school where he concentrated on theology and systems theory. He is married to Peggy Bendroth and has two adopted Amerasian children.

Our Faith, Our Vote

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Norman Bendroth

Emma Roller wrote recently in the NY Times that “The strongest bias in American politics is not a liberal bias or a conservative bias; it is a confirmation bias, or the urge to believe only things that confirm what you … Continue reading →

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God in the Voting Booth

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Norman Bendroth

Selected Scripture /25th Sunday after Pentecost / Year “A”/November 6, 2016 Come with me back to 1729. The pastor at Tewksbury Congregational Church likely preached an election day sermon as did our Puritan forebears.  They would speak about the call … Continue reading →

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All Our Sorrows, All Our Griefs

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Norman Bendroth

Psalm 6 and Selected Scripture I would like to assert a proposition this morning and see if you agree with me. The proposition is this: most of life is loss, and, paradoxically, gain.  When we think of loss we usually … Continue reading →

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Dad Duty

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Norman Bendroth

Genesis 48: 1-11 and Selected Scripture Sunday, June 19, 2016 Fathers’ Day When I was growing up my grandfather always let his granddaughters to crawl into his lap, but never his grandsons. He told us that he wanted us to … Continue reading →

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Follow Me

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Norman Bendroth

Youth Sunday Whenever we turn on our computer or TV we see Donald Trump, Hilary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders are asking us to follow me. If we do so we’ll have world peace, better healthcare, high wages, the end of … Continue reading →

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The Still Small Voice

Posted on May 29, 2016 by Norman Bendroth

I Kings 19: 9-18 Fourth Sunday after Pentecost / June 20, 2010 Once upon a time in a land far away called Israel, there was an evil king by the name of Omri. Omri had been a commander of the … Continue reading →

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The Motherhood of God

Posted on May 8, 2016 by Norman Bendroth

Mothers Day, May 8, 2016 Selected Scripture It is a practice in almost all mainline Prot­estant denominations to use what is called “inclusive language” in our hymns, pray­ers, liturgies and sermons.  What do I mean by in­clusive lan­guage?  Namely, that when … Continue reading →

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A Way Out of No Way

Posted on March 27, 2016 by Norman Bendroth

Luke 24: 1-12     Easter Sunday 2016 I took a trip to CVS this week to peruse the Easter and Passover cards available; it could have just as easily been Walgreen’s or Rite Aid. The cards are, of course, divided … Continue reading →

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No More of This

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Norman Bendroth

Luke 22: 47-53    Tenebrae 2016 47While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; 48but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is … Continue reading →

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Downwardly Mobile

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Norman Bendroth

Philippians 2:5–11 Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday March 20, 2016 When Peggy and I lived in Washington, DC, we had dinner with a couple who worked with a ministry called “Fellowship House.” They ministered to powerful muckity mucks on Capitol … Continue reading →

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