Jim Bishop | Clarence Peifer epitomizes life of lay ministry

Jim Bishop

Clarence E. Peifer of Bridgewater will defuse any preconceived notions of how a person who turned 95 (on May 18 this year) should appear or act. Clarence moves at a slower pace these days, but gets around well. He wears a hearing aid but responds thoughtfully to questions. He recently passed another drivers’ test but…

Jim Bishop | Here’s to a Hair-Raising (or Lowering) Holiday

Jim Bishop

Thanksgiving Day is looming, and I’m salivating already. It’s a favorite holiday, for several reasons. Not only do we gather as a family to ask the Lord’s blessings and enjoy savory fare, but “wish lists” appear on our refrigerator door to help launch the festive yuletide season. At this giving-thanks time of year, I’m especially…

Jim Bishop: A mantle mantra for the next stage of the journey

Jim Bishop

Column by Jim Bishop Preface: A man, desperately searching for the “right” church, slipped into the back pew just as the congregation intoned with the worship leader, “We have left undone those things which we ought to have done.” “Thank goodness,” he exhaled, “I’ve found my crowd at last.” Whether an actual anecdote or not,…