Posts By: Lauren Rogers

Pentecost: Building a Life of Faith

Who was the first person to teach you about Jesus? Who was the first person to  show you how to honor God with your life? Who helped you open the doors to new understandings of God and of faith? When did these things happen? For many of us, they happened during our childhood. They happened… Read more »

OGHS Sixty Second Sermon Reflection

A church walks into a bar…and then what? We invite you to watch this short video and reflect on what you’ve seen by answering the questions below. Thank you to Rev. Ryan Landino, Lead Presbyter for Transformation at the Presbytery of Great Rivers, for creating this Sixty Second Sermon for One Great Hour of Sharing…. Read more »

OGHS: Saving a Community in Puerto Rico from the Threat of Displacement

A Community Facing Displacement Even before Hurricane Maria ravaged communities along the Martín Peña Channel in Puerto Rico last year, residents were facing another threat that could have completely disrupted their way of life. Plans to dredge the polluted channel and improve the waterway promised to dramatically increase property values in this section of San… Read more »

Passionate Generosity through One Great Hour of Sharing

This piece was written by Rev. Aisha Brooks-Lytle, Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, for their presbytery newsletter originally published March 30, 2019. Our conversations around what it means to flourish continues to deepen our understanding of what it means to be a Presbytery filled with healthy congregations and innovative leaders who are… Read more »

OGHS: Helping Day Laborers Strive for Fair Wages and Safe Working Conditions

When Payday is Not Promised Narciso, Feliciano, and Alberto labored hard on a construction project in the hot Arizona sun for several days. Though the work was demanding, the promise of payday kept these day laborers going. They had cupboards to fill and bills to pay. But payday presented an unwelcome surprise for these men…. Read more »

OGHS: Increasing Access to Nutritious Food and Farming

Food is a Necessity While we give thanks to God for our food, we need to recognize lack of nutritious food is experienced by many of our sisters and brothers at alarming rates. Creating an opportunity for all people to become farmers, gain access to agricultural land, or manage farms are each ways we can… Read more »

Celebrating One Great Hour of Sharing with Your Youth

Engaging the children of your congregation with the four churchwide Special Offerings has never been easier or more important. There are numerous ways children can connect with One Great Hour of Sharing, including the engagement placemat and fish coin banks that often arrive in your standing orders. However, were you aware there are numerous resources… Read more »

OGHS: Haitian Earthquake Survivors Build Their Future Through Education

Natural Disaster Changes Life Course The 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti, and changed it forever, set Andral’s life on a radically different course. Andral lost his home and career in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital city. In Port-au-Prince and the surrounding region, an estimated 300,000 people lost their lives in the earthquake. You could say that Andral… Read more »

OGHS: Repairers of the Breach

What is “the church?” It’s a big question. Think about this: As the wider culture becomes less traditionally religious, the church—something we share as a congregation and individually hold dear in our hearts— becomes less understood, or misunderstood, by many. Like it or not, it’s a fact. And as hard as it is to admit,… Read more »