God, it takes courage to be the creatures
you made us to be.
Year after year we add to our experiences of the world,
pushing against our limits
to find out what will budge and what will not.
Brokenness, a Prayer for Lent
March 29, 2023 by Leave a Comment
A View from the Pew: Maybe Our Neighbors Would Rather Serve than be Served
March 28, 2023 by
In recent weeks I have begun to wrap my head around the possibility that my approach to church outreach has been backward.
Crossroads: My Shepherd
March 27, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Most of the time, I associate this Psalm with funerals. I don’t like to read this Psalm because it brings to mind sadness and pain. And yet, this Psalm is all about peace.
Formations 04.02.2023: Welcome
March 26, 2023 by
I have always loved the images describing Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem. It truly is triumphal. Crowds of excited people lined the street.
Connections 04.02.2023: Who Is This?
March 26, 2023 by
There are Scriptures we can hear spoken aloud in worship—and sung about in hymns—and acted out in children’s pageants—and taught about in studies and sermons.
Thou Shalt Remember Thou Art Creative
March 22, 2023 by Leave a Comment
The question I get more than any other—more than “What’s the meaning of life?”, or “Why do people suffer?”, or “Why are the New England Patriots so . . . them?”—is “Can I learn to be funny?”
A Wilderness Point of View
March 21, 2023 by Leave a Comment
In Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus tells his daughter Scout that there’s a “trick” to getting along with all kinds of people.
Crossroads: Awestruck
March 20, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Have you ever been awestruck by something? Perhaps a sight that took your breath away? For me, those times come most often when I am standing on top of a mountain, gazing out into the distance at the creation God has formed. Depending on the season, creation is either lush and green, or alive with color, or waiting in the darkness to spring back to life.
Formations 03.26.2023: Sticking Points
March 19, 2023 by
This week’s passage tells the story of a character conventionally called “the rich, young ruler.” You might be surprised to learn that this is a designation we never actually read in Scripture.
Connections 03.26.2023: Restoration
March 19, 2023 by
As I grew up, skeletons always made me think of Halloween. Whether it was a homemade costume, flexible paper decorations hanging on school walls, or plastic bones sticking out of the yard.
A Worship Hour Outline: Dreams
March 15, 2023 by Leave a Comment
We come to dream with you, Spirit of Hope. We confess that some of our dreams have been selfish ambitions, and that we have often been driven by personal gain and little interest in others or your will.
Learning to Walk on Water
March 14, 2023 by Leave a Comment
I once saw a saying that really spoke to me: “Be like Jesus; rebuke the storm, and if it persists, walk on it.” How many times have storms taken control of our lives?