Easter Sunday was an almost magical day when I was growing up in the American Midwest. The sights and smells and feelings evoked by that holy day still live with me. The Easter lilies, the packed church, the full choir, everyone dressed up, the stirring chords of “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” my father
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I believe any nation built on the backs of slaves on land stolen from its native people is perpetually in crisis. While many white Americans look back to ‘better days’ when the nation was happy and peaceful, the fact is no such time ever existed. The United States has always been in the midst of
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This morning my father, Rev. Eugene Winkler, passed away at the age of 83 due to complications from a fall at his home in Naperville, IL. He was preceded in death by my mother just two months ago. Dad was lonely without her. Mom called him home to be with her. Gene Winkler was a
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Two of the overlooked anniversaries in the United States are those of the atomic bomb attacks made by our country against the Empire of Japan on August 6 and 9, 1945. At the time of this writing, these anniversaries have come and gone. As in prior years, I lament that very little reflection on the
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(This week the NCC hosted a delegation from the National Council of Churches in Korea. The delegation came to Washington, DC, to meet with White House, Congressional, and State Department leaders to advocate for a permanent peace treaty between North and South Korea. Below is the statement by Jim Winkler, given as part of a
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I am shocked and sickened by the violence plaguing U.S. society, including the killings recently of 49 people in Orlando, those of Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, and the murders of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge. Numerous others have died violently in our nation during that same time
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Father’s Day sermon Delivered at Fairlington United Methodist Church By Jim Winkler June 19, 2016 When I was invited to preach today I was informed the decision was made to choose a theme that is relevant and challenging this year—immigration—and asked to reflect on what our faith says about how we should view and treat
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Congratulations to all of today’s graduates! I am grateful to President Kuan, the board of trustees, and the faculty for this great honor. There are many connections between Claremont School of Theology and the National Council of Churches. To name but a few: President Kuan serves on the Interreligious Concerns Convening Table of the NCC.
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My schedule has been hectic over the past several weeks ranging from the NCC’s recent Christian Unity Gathering, meetings of our Governing Board and Convening Tables, participation in the 75th anniversary of the Cuban Council of Churches, and the ongoing United Methodist Church General Conference. We have now held three Christian Unity Gatherings and have
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Like millions of others, my mother has Alzheimer’s Disease. Her illness has progressed to the point that it is taking a tremendous toll on my father and placing significant pressure on my siblings, especially my sister. Because mom is the center of our family, her slow descent into dementia has altered our family’s dynamics in
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