For as long as I can remember, I have loved the French language. And as soon as I got to high school, I started taking French. Because I went to a private, Catholic school, one of the first things I learned was the Lord’s Prayer in French.
Flame: Pentecost Painting
May 24, 2023 by Leave a Comment
I know it’s a bit early for Pentecost, but I like to be ahead of the game and there are so many stories where flames are useful! This is a really great idea for all ages.
Formations 05.28.2023: Unexpected Joy
May 21, 2023 by
My church has a tradition that everyone wears bright colors on Pentecost Sunday. The people who know about liturgical traditions tell us that red is the preferred color for Pentecost.
Crossroads: The Spirit
May 24, 2021 by
When I write my children’s sermons, I have a process. Usually, I read the Scripture, think about it for a few minutes, and then go do something else.
Formations 05.31.2020: Pentecost
May 24, 2020 by
Everybody knows about Christmas. Even people with only a passing familiarity with Christianity embrace the Christian ideals of generosity, joy, and goodwill to others when December 25 comes around.
Connections 06.09.2019: All Flesh
June 2, 2019 by
When the Holy Spirit fell on the gathered believers on the day of Pentecost, they began to speak in the languages of the people who had come to Jerusalem from many other countries for the festival.
Crossroads: The Presence of the Holy Spirit
June 5, 2017 by
Several years ago on a weekend retreat, I gathered with a group of teenagers in a dimly lit room to share an Agape Love Feast. Earlier, we had set up the room with candles, a plate of bread, and a large cup of grape juice. Before we entered the room, all of us took off our shoes and made a commitment to be silent as we entered.
Formations 06.04.2017: Come, Holy Spirit
May 28, 2017 by
One of the oldest songs of Pentecost is Veni Creator Spiritus, attributed to the ninth-century monk and theologian Rabanus Maurus. This hymn to the Holy Spirit is traditionally sung on Pentecost and other occasions (ordinations, church dedications, etc.) to invoke God’s transforming power.
Formations 05.22.2016: Casting a Vision
May 15, 2016 by
One of the key skills of any leader is motivating his or her team, and there is no shortage of advice about how to do it. Much of this advice, however, though true, is also rather basic.
Formations 05.08.2016: Tongues of Fire
May 1, 2016 by
In today’s text, the Spirit comes attended by astounding supernatural phenomena that capture the attention of the pilgrims in Jerusalem. These phenomena do not automatically inspire faith, however; some onlookers wrote the whole thing off as the disciples simply being drunk.
Formations 05.24.2015: Spreading the Word
May 17, 2015 by
“Evangelism” is a scary word for a lot of people. It’s scary for a lot of people outside the church because they don’t want to be the target of somebody’s evangelistic efforts.
Uniform 05.24.2015: The Gift of Interpretation
May 17, 2015 by
One of my favorite television series is the BBC’s Doctor Who. This long-running show features the Doctor, a time-traveling alien who looks like you and me but has an exceptional time machine/spaceship called the TARDIS.
Formations 05.03.2015: Divine Unity
April 26, 2015 by
As we approach Pentecost Sunday on May 24th, we will explore Jesus’ promises to his disciples about the Holy Spirit, “the Spirit of Truth.” We will do this through the lens of Jesus’ teachings in John 14–16.