Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) Blogs

Presbyterians Today Blog

One Church, Many Voices

Speak out

Genesis to Revelation in 90 hours Kentucky’s Bible-reading marathon crosses finish line for the second consecutive year By Tammy Warren   It was the voice of my friend Ed, reading Scriptures about the Bible character Job, that touched me most. Ed is battling cancer, and yet he braved the cold wind and rain to join… Read more »

justleros: more than nonsense / más que disparates

Remember the water A resource for Sunday’s liturgy based on Acts 10:34-43 by Magdalena I. García “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” Acts 10:38 Water… separated to make life… Read more »

Speak out

Help! Our pastor is leaving! Effective transitional (interim) ministry By James E. Roghair   “We can’t waste any time! Everything will fall apart.” When a pastor leaves a church, the inclination of the congregation is to take off on a mad dash down one of two paths. It might rush to replace the pastor with… Read more »

justleros: more than nonsense / más que disparates

Angelic messages A resource for Sunday’s liturgy based on Matthew 2:13-23 by Magdalena I. García   “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” – Matthew 2:13b “Get up and flee…” Joseph… Read more »

justleros: more than nonsense / más que disparates

O come, dear Refuge of all humankind Three contemporary stanzas for a traditional Advent and Christmas hymn by Magdalena I. García O come dear Refuge of All Humankind, befriend the homeless, shelter everyone; our church doors come and swing open wide, give sanctuary to those left outside. (Refrain) Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee,… Read more »

Reflections from the frontline

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 »

Not quite right

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 »

justleros: more than nonsense / más que disparates

Pondering Joseph’s story A resource for Sunday’s liturgy based on Matthew 1:18-25 by Magdalena I. García Nativity from Ecuador, carved on balsa wood, sitting on a weaving from the same country. Natividad del Ecuador, tallada en madera de balsa, colocada sobre un tejido del mismo país. When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the… Read more »

Speak out

Stables, superheroes and stories Narrating life as it goes By Jennifer Frayer-Griggs   My three year old sits in his carseat and incessantly talks all the way to preschool. Everyday. It makes me crazy. It’s too early for this, and he’s distracting me from the NPR newscast. But, he never relents. He’s gotten to the… Read more »

Reflections from the frontline

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 »