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Posts Categorized: Christmas
December 8, 2017
The Christmas prayer tree A rural church reaches out in an unexpected way by Donna Frischknecht Jackson Silence fell upon the room. A woman at my table waved to the waitress to order another glass of wine. A good diversion on her part, I thought. Others around me glanced down at the meeting agenda,… Read more »
December 1, 2017
Keeping Christmas When traditions have to change by Ken Rummer How will I keep Christmas this year, in retirement, in this new place? Now that Christmas is no longer part of my job, how will I mark the season? In my growing up years, we often attended Christmas vespers at the university. It was held… Read more »
December 19, 2016
When Sunday Ambushes Christmas Remembering Jesus in the chaos By Roberta Updegraff Christmas Sunday graces a century a dozen times or less, and I have celebrated it eight times in my lifetime, yet rarely with the awe it deserves. Our children were young in 1988 and easily corralled, for they had been awake since long… Read more »
December 19, 2016
Drains, toilets, and the truth about Christmas How can we make Christmas good news to all people? by Joshua Bower I feel the presence of Jesus in a lot of different places: hiking in the woods, walking on the beach, singing “Silent Night” on Christmas Eve. But I never expected to meet Jesus under a… Read more »
December 15, 2016
Nes Gadol Hayah Sham Finding the trancendant God in other traditions By Roberta Updegraff Advent is a whirl of emotion percolated in frenzied activity, yet Christmas comes quietly—often surprisingly. As it did in 1985. I was full-bloom in motherhood, our third just cooing—a perfect stand-in for Jesus in the manager, and I felt in control… Read more »
February 10, 2016
Seeing without categorizing Global citizens and universal aliens Our citizenship is in heaven by Anita Coleman One planet. 57.3 million miles of surface land. 7.4 billion people. 59.5 million refugees and displaced peoples, of whom 51 percent are under the age of 18. Sheikh Yassir Fazaga was once one of those refugees. Forced to flee… Read more »
February 9, 2016
A shared space to encounter God’s marvelous mission among all peoples Get your generosity groove onReclaiming God as King Merrymaker for Mardi Gras by Roberta Updegraff It is hard to imagine our Lord dancing in the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras, but I have certainly experienced God as King Merrymaker. God takes joy… Read more »
February 1, 2016
Stumbling our way into God’s future for the church Permission to innovateMaking the most of low-attendance Sundays by Lisa M. López Year after year they come, as inevitably as the high holidays, though with remarkably less fuss. If you have been serving a particular congregation for a while you may be able to see… Read more »
January 20, 2016
One slightly unhinged pastor’s attempt to love (and laugh with) a slightly unhinged church, from the inside out. Why (and how) to kill a church programWant a healthier church in 2016? Prune the tree! by Joshua Bower Here’s a typical week for my family, on top of school and work: Monday is my daughter’s gymnastics… Read more »
January 20, 2016
One young person’s subversive thoughts on church and society The FDA still doesn’t want gay bloodA recent change to policy underscores continuing discomfort with sex in our society and church. by Tad Hopp Recently, the FDA lifted the decades-old ban on gay men donating blood. This ban was put into effect at the height… Read more »
