We are living in strange times, indeed. As we continue into 2021 hoping to finally get through all the disruption the pandemic has brought us these past 12 months, I am still pondering this question: What is the Church, and what impact did social distancing restrictions have on our ability to be the Church? I…
Community feels like one of those buzzworthy ideas that gets tossed around a lot in advertising, announcements and general conversations. But what is it and what does it really mean day in and day out? How do we experience it? Why is it important and why do we need it? Why is it emphasized at…
When I was younger, my liturgical attention span was mostly limited to Christmas Day and for all the wrong reasons. “Sure, we’re celebrating the birth of Jesus, but let’s get on with opening my presents already!” As a preacher kid, my patience was further tested each year by all of the services that stood between…
Throughout Scripture, God is described using many different names: God as king (Psalm 95), shepherd (Psalm 23) and warrior (Exodus 15) to name a few. In Psalm 78, we are presented with God as teacher. In the first four verses of this psalm, the psalmist conveys a message of instruction from God to his people,…
In our career-driven society, we often think about a child’s hobbies and activities in terms of future goals: the scholarship, the career path, the networking. Of course, you want to best for your child, grandchild, nephew or niece, as well as the children in your community who are near and dear to your heart. But…