Fiddling with Fonts

I love a good tiddle, or as you might know it, a serif. It’s that little decorative piece that is a part of some fonts and typefaces. The most common is Times New Roman, and it was the default on Microsoft Word, for as long as I can remember. And then it changed. In 2007,…

It’s Just a Picture!

This will be my last Christmas Penn for a while. I promise. This year seems to be the year for public criticism of the family Christmas photos posted by public figures. The president and first lady were criticized for looking too stern in their official portrait. And to be fair, all they were missing was…

The Gift of Life

As she made her way along the road, she wondered about the sense of it all. Although she had agreed she still couldn’t understand why. She lived in a poor country that was occupied by a foreign army. Violence was never far away and often during the night you would hear soldiers entering the home…

Did you Get Your Christmas Wish?

So, did you get what you wanted for Christmas? Were all your wishes fulfilled? Were you ecstatic or disappointed on Christmas morning? Maybe a little bit of both. I know how you feel, for the sixth year in a row I didn’t have a new BMW convertible in my driveway. Actually, for the sixtieth year…

The Gift of Hope

How often have you heard the phrase or description “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”? But what if it’s not? What if Christmas doesn’t bring alive warm happy memories for you? What happens when there is an empty chair at the table and Christmas becomes a reminder of a lost loved one or…

Tending the Kettle

I’ve been doing it for the past 14 years, so it must be a Christmas tradition.  In 2011, I decided I should give something back at Christmas. Something that wouldn’t benefit me or Cornerstone. So, I bought a Santa hat and signed up to tend a kettle for the Salvation Army. I know that technically…

The Gift of Joy

The words that were just read, came from the prayer of Jesus, in the garden just before he was betrayed by Judas and arrested by the temple guards. And you’re thinking, that’s a weird advent reading. Maybe, or maybe not. This Advent season your preaching team has been focusing on Gifts from the King. Normally…

T’is the Season

And so, it begins! Apparently, they have allowed Michael Bublé and Mariah Carey to come out of hibernation, and now the season of Christmas music and Christmas specials is upon us.From my favourite radio stations to my favourite coffee shops, I am hearing the good news of Jesus as they begin their annual tradition of…