Rev. Dr. C. Dennis Shaw is a retired Elder in the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church. He served Hilltop United Methodist Church in Sandy, Utah from July 2012 to June 2019 and Stratmoor Hills United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs, CO from November 2003 to June 2012. Dennis was in ministry within the Rocky Mountain Conference of the UMC before that in other appointments. Pastor Dennis' believes that God loves us and wants a deep relationship with us. He believes that God has showered us with Grace and forgiveness and that through the Scripture we find healing and hope. Education is a core family value. He has an eclectic education focused on excellence with two degrees from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC: a Doctor of Ministry, awarded in May, 2012, and a Master of Divinity in May 1999 (Summa Cum Laude). He also holds a Master in Business Administration (1979) from Rochester (N.Y). Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Music (1971) from Georgia State University in his hometown of Atlanta. In 1994 Dennis retired as a Regular Army Lieutenant Colonel. Military responsibilities included light infantry, human resource management, and cost analysis. His assignments took him to Alaska, Colorado, New York, Virginia, Kansas, Korea and Germany with brief excursions to other European countries and Japan. Pastor Dennis and Marilyn White have been married for over 35 years and are parents to a blended family with four adult children living in Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia and Texas. Praise God!
For the June/July Hilltop Newsletter, I spoke to the idea of how the United Methodist Church sees itself in terms of three key words and values: global, unified, and inclusive. I lamented that we were approaching a time when we might need to pick two. Rethinking that a little, I wonder if we are not … More Global, United, Inclusive: Pick Two – An Update
1st Corinthians 12: Verses 4–7: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the … More Gifts of the Spirit
I was in the Army for over twenty years. Building acronyms was part of what the Army did. Instead of saying someone was “absent without leave” we said they were AWOL, most often pronounced “A-Wall.” Old timers might spell it out “A-double u-oh-el.” VUCA is an acronym. On the negative side it means: volatility, uncertainty, … More Transforming VUCA to Building the Kingdom — Pastor Musings — April, 2016
Psalm 118:24: (New Revised Standard Version) “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), English writer, journalist and Christian apologist. When I step out before you … More Happiness Doubled by Wonder — November, 2015 Musings
Jesus says in Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life” (ESV). Paul writes in Philippians 4: 6 “do not be anxious about anything” (ESV). Our theme at Hilltop, where I serve the people of Sandy, Utah, in October, 2015 was “Let your faith be bigger than your fear.” Great … More A Scarlet Letter
The Mindful Leader 