Commotion in the Pews | Thoughts and tirades that don't fit into any of my books. A collection of items of limited interest to anyone.

The Gospel Of John, Chapter 4

Posted on March 19, 2026 by Joseph Courtemanche

This Easter season, I am presenting the Gospel of John. John tells the story of resurrection better than the others, and so it is logical to present his version of Christ as the focus is on the miracles, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

So, without further ado, the Gospel of John: Chapter 4.

I appreciate your coming to visit. I truly do. I ask but small favors:

First, pray for me. I am always in need of prayer.

Second, please consider buying some of my audio books, as they provide the funding to do this reading on the website.

AMBUSH OF THE DRAGON by Michael DiMercurio

There is only one way to reunite a country that has been split by two bloody civil wars in thirty years, one of them nuclear: savage their external enemies and leave them so weak they cannot interfere with the union until stability is achieved. The newly reconstituted China – now the Federated States of the New Middle Kingdom – has a strike plan that will leave both the Russians and Americans bleeding and desperate to survive.

For there to be any hope of American and Russian vengeance, old allies, resurrected schemes from decades ago, and a plan as innovative as the 1942 Doolittle raid on Tokyo must all be put in motion. A cast of both new and favorite characters, driven by decorated submarine combat veteran Lieutenant Anthony Pacino, is forced to fight for not only his beloved submarine Vermont and the lives of his shipmates, but the fate of the Western world in an epic battle of undersea warfare.

THE GENERAL’S PRINCESS by Caryn Hacker Buechel

This one’s a little different, because it has romantic/sexual abuse situations. It is not a Christian book, but I accepted the contract because it deals with human trafficking and our need to defeat it. The backstory is important to me: but I met the author through a friend, and the fact I speak Arabic was what clinched the deal. Seems my 40 years of study paid off.

Cara is almost fifty, and nearly penniless. She needs a fresh start and when a unique job falls in her lap, she moves to Saudi Arabia to work for the royal family, never dreaming the change would quickly spiral into a nightmare where she is alone and powerless, trapped in the crosshairs of a human trafficking ring.

The unlikely kidnapping of a young, American female triggers a risky military rescue with General Sam Kennedy leading the Special Forces team into Riyadh, ultimately throwing Sam into Cara’s world where she is enmeshed in the spinning wheels of this deadly rescue mission, managed from the White House Situation Room, and exploding in real time within the opulent Royal palace.

Unravel the threads of survival, courage, and unexpected love in this gripping tale of resilience against the odds.

The Gospel Of John, Chapter 3

Posted on March 18, 2026 by Joseph Courtemanche

So, without further ado, the Gospel of John: Chapter 3.

I appreciate your coming to visit. I truly do. I ask but small favors:

First, pray for me. I am always in need of prayer.

Second, consider purchasing some of my audio books to fund this work!

WISDOM FROM THE BATCAVE by Rabbi Cary Friedman

I am willing to bet you’ve never considered the theological and moral imperatives that drive The Batman to do what he does. Well, thankfully, Cary Friedman has done just that and written a book on the topic.

Want to be a hero?

Many people don’t know where to start on their quest to be a hero. They watch Batman and gain inspiration, but don’t know where to go from there. How can you save the world without knowing 127 forms of martial arts?

The truth is you don’t need to dodge bullets or drive a batmobile to be a hero. Wisdom from the Batcave analyzes the life philosophy that emerges from Batman comic books and shows how anyone can live a heroic life by following Batman’s philosophy.

In 18 lighthearted chapters (such as “How to Triumph over Adversity,” “The Value of Inspiring Others,” “A Better Definition of Victory”), the Batman’s example is used to teach profound truths. Focusing on relationships with self, others, and the larger community, Wisdom from the Batcave uses the experience of the Batman and his allies to illustrate how to live a super, heroic life.

Here is your invitation to enter the Batcave and learn from the personal example of the Batman himself.

SUB TALES 4 by Charles Hood and Frank Hood

I am honored to have narrated all 4 of the Sub Tales books to date, and hope to knock out Sub Tales 5 before February 2026. (Full schedule, a true blessing!) These are great books, and I’ve been on some of the subs in the book for “road trips” to different places we won’t talk about. It allows me to be very authentic about narrating the work, as I can literally smell what they’re talking about and see it before my eyes in most cases.

Sub Tales 4 is the latest offering by brothers Charles and Frank Hood in their prolific output of nonfiction books about the US Submarine Force. Like the three volumes preceding it in the series, Sub Tales 4 offers a detailed recounting of some of the most pivotal and poignant moments in the rich history of the Silent Service. Arranged as an anthology of individual short stories, the book covers many subjects with prose, photographs, maps, schematics, and other illustrations to complement the narrative.

Written over the last year, Sub Tales 4 benefits editorially from the knowledgeable input of three submarine veterans—Keith Weitemeyer, John Donaldson, and Greg Scott—who painstakingly reviewed all chapters and offered valuable feedback during the composition process. Many story ideas were supplied by followers of the authors’ Facebook group, “Poopie Suits & Cowboy Boots”, and many vexing questions about some vital piece of esoterica were often posed and answered very quickly using that format. Our books incorporate that “wiki” approach to yield both accurate and engrossing stories that are certain to inform you more deeply.

Specific topics addressed in Sub Tales 4 include the inspiring life story of Charles Lockwood, a key figure in US submarine success during World War II; the serendipitous role of the USS Nautilus during the Battle of Midway; the submarine that carried gold and silver to safety during World War II; Richard Nixon’s relationship with Hyman Rickover, and their memorable overnight cruise aboard the USS Cincinnati; the mysterious and remote lake in Idaho where the Navy performs some of its most robust acoustic research; the story of the deep-diving USS Dolphin; the nuts and bolts of the submarine maneuvering watch; Ronald Reagan’s screen turn as a submarine captain; and many more.

The Gospel Of John, Chapter 2

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Joseph Courtemanche

So, without further ado, the Gospel of John: Chapter 2.

I appreciate your coming to visit. I truly do. I ask but small favors:

First, pray for me. I am always in need of prayer. Second, if you like what you hear on this site, please consider purchasing some of my audio books, they are what fund this site and my work.

DOMESTICATED TERRORISTS by MAX COSSACK

When his client is railroaded in a DC court, Sam Lapidos decides to give up the practice of law and renew his long dormant interest in exploring nature. His maiden journey into the woods miscarries when an assassin tries to kill him. His friends rally to his defense and gather in his home. His attackers develop their own conflicts, as incompetence, confusion and dissension rile their ranks. What happens next is known only to the author and his listeners.

Now, from the narrator: all the Max Cossack books are great fun and I’m sure you’re going to like this one as well. They stand alone, or you can do the series. I’ve done a few of them for Max and I love them.

THE SUPERHERO HANDBOOK FOR COPS: A GUIDE FOR NAVIGATING THE CAREER WITH HONOR, PRINCIPLE, AND COMPASSION WHILE AVOIDING ITS PITFALLS AND HAZARDS by Rabbi Cary Friedman

American police officers are the real-life counterparts of our beloved fictional superheroes and superheroines.

The best cops…

• perform the law enforcement mission nobly, with honor, principle, and compassion

• practice excellent discretion, tempering the letter of the law with the spirit that animates it

• still believe in, and are proud symbols of, truth, justice, and the American way

• restrain their exercise of power according to Constitutional safeguards and agency guidelines

• behave “with malice toward none; with charity for all,” ensuring that the American justice system extends its protection and dignity—without discrimination or favor—to each and every community within our society

If you aspire to be the very best cop you can be, then this handbook has been designed especially for you!

“The Superhero Handbook for Cops” combines timeless wisdom with the newest research and technology to provide a powerful, comprehensive training program that nourishes the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and ethical dimensions of law enforcement officers.

NARRATOR NOTE: This is my third book by Cary Friedman. I love his writing, and I sincerely, and regretfully, wish I had read his books before I entered the police academy. I would have been a much better patrol officer.

The Gospel Of John, Chapter 1

Posted on March 16, 2026 by Joseph Courtemanche

This Easter season I’d like to share the Good News with all of you.

The Gospel of John tells the story of resurrection better than the others, and so it is logical to present his version of Christ as the focus is on the miracles, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

So, without further ado, the Gospel of John: Chapter 1.

I appreciate your coming to visit. I truly do. I ask but small favors:

First, pray for me. I am always in need of prayer.

Secondly, I’d ask you to consider purchasing some of my audio books if you like the style here. I submit the following two for today:

LOOKING FOR SPACE: MY PICKENS JOURNEY

by Charles Hood

Sometimes a town chooses you.

Looking for Space is a story of triumph over adversity for one boy growing up in a small town, and an intimate look at how the community embraced a newcomer and helped him find his way.

When Charles lost his father at age ten, he was uprooted from everything familiar and eventually moved to Pickens, South Carolina—a place he barely knew, yet one that would come to define him. In the foothills of the Blue Ridge, among red clay fields and close-knit neighbors, he began the long work of healing and becoming.

It is also a tender portrait of how a Southern town can shape a life. The rhythms of 1970s Pickens—its public schools, church pews, football games, and front porches—offered not just comfort, but direction.

Alongside his personal journey, Charles opens a wider lens to reflect on the region’s natural beauty, cultural traditions, and the local figures who helped define Pickens County’s identity. The result is both an intimate memoir and a tribute to the quiet strength of place.

Rooted in gratitude, Looking for Space is a love letter to a town that still knows the value of showing up for one another.

LION OF THE SEVEN SEAS by MICHAEL DIMERCURIO

In the aftermath of a vicious sea battle with the Chinese fleet that ends in a nuclear blast, the presidential project submarine Silversides is dispatched on a search-and-destroy mission against the resurrected submarine Panther, recently converted by the Iranians to fire hypersonic electrical grid-killer missiles at the U.S. East Coast.

Anthony Pacino, the Silversides’ chief engineer, is forced to abandon his mourning the loss of the love of his life and driven to fight to the death for his country, the mission and the crew. Returning also are the rich characters of the Silversides and former admiral and current Vice President Michael Pacino in this epic tale of undersea warfare.

It Was The Golden Hour, Just Like The Crust

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Joseph Courtemanche

I looked up at the sky and realized that while I was standing in the parking lot, handing out slices of pizza, I was also enjoying what the television/movie/photographic world calls the “Golden Hour” because of the amazing light that suffuses the sky.

I’d been coming out to this location for about a year, sometimes with the Canteen (think food truck) and sometimes with a short-bus that we all make fun of, but was big enough to haul some tables, chairs, and hot food. In any event, I was there, in the midst of a low-cost housing project in the rural town of Immokalee, Florida. The back of my Telluride was full of pizza I’d just picked up.

When people talk about SW Florida, they typically think of Fort Myers, Naples, perhaps even Everglades City. They almost never think of the little farm towns like Felda, Labelle, and Immokalee. There’s lots of them, mostly along State Highway 29 that runs up the center of the state.

Naples, the glitziest of them, is where I live. A ton of millionaires, many CEO types from the Fortune 100, and generally way more expensive circles than I run in if given a choice. Technically in any event. I live 10 miles from Immokalee and 33 miles from Naples itself. Consequently, my time is spent in Immokalee when I want a great Mexican meal, need cash from the credit union, to hit the farmers market, or to serve the poor.

I’ve been volunteering with The Salvation Army in Naples for over 4 years, essentially since my first Christmas in Florida. In that time I’ve deployed to Hurricane Helene in the Big Bend region, went out with the trucks during Hurricane Ian, served First Responders at a disaster drill or two, served breakfast to the homeless at a census in Naples, and been Santa. Along the way I’ve also done some sammich making and other assorted tasks as needed.

As a volunteer I’ve trained on a number of subjects and had my qualification card signed off so that I’m trusted with vehicles and a spatula. It’s a long list, but when they need me I am usually allowed to operate on my own. I spent the time, gasoline, and hotel stays to travel around Florida to get the training needed. Just like the military I served in 30 some years ago.

Now, back to Immokalee. It’s a farm town, and the majority of the people who live there are Hispanic. I’m not sure if English is the primary language or if Spanish is more common, but I do okay in English and can usually get along for this kind of work in Spanish. I sound like an imbecile in both languages if you want to be honest, but a helpful one!

Most of you know I’m a very conservative Christian, and you probably wonder why I’d be serving pizza to a community that is sometimes illegally here. Easy answer: I’m there to serve Jesus, do as I’m commanded to/for the least of my brothers, and I try to keep it politics free. Mind you, if ICE swept in and started asking for identification, I’d offer them pizza, salad, and a bottle of water as well. Everyone is my brother when I put on the red shirt. It’s not a contradiction to me to render unto Cesar what is his. I’m okay with it.

But, back to the story. I’ve been going out there long enough now that I recognize some of the people as regulars. The kids and the old guy in the red pickup truck, the lawncare guy and his crew, and the guy with his 2 year old. I feed them all, pray for them all, and love them all.

So, as you might guess, as the sun sets on those Wednesdays when I serve a meal to the community, I love the setting of the sun, the warmth of my friendships with my Captains, Sarah my fellow volunteer, Sharon, David, and all the others who are by my side.

You see, it is truly the Golden Hour when you stand in the light of God.

Now, go volunteer with an organization like The Salvation Army. Don’t waste your life standing on a corner with a sign, or blowing a whistle. Do something productive, nonviolent, and within the law for your fellow humans. All of them.

Thank you.