Worship God. Form Faith. Live Love.
What is God’s intention for leadership? With the example of King David, it’s clear: a leader should be a caring shepherd for others. From Ruth to David Last week, we heard the heroic story of Ruth and Naomi, two women … Continue reading
Trunk-or-Treat is about providing a fun, safe activity for kids and families, but it can also be an easy way to serve your community and build relationships. It’s that time of year when churches fill parking lots with decorated cars … Continue reading
As widows in a patriarchal society, Ruth and Naomi are vulnerable. But they don’t wait for a man to save them. They become their own heroes and save themselves and each other. From There to Here While this reading marks … Continue reading
The Israelites—after a long detour—are about to enter the Promised Land. Moses recounts their (mis)adventures since their deliverance, including God’s gift of the Torah: instructions on how to love. Since Last Time… Last week, we met the people of Israel … Continue reading
Only four characters within our extended reading are named: God (of course), our protagonist Moses, and two Hebrew midwives Shiphrah and Puah. What is the power of a name? In the past three readings in the Narrative Lectionary, I reflected … Continue reading
On his way back to the brother he wronged, Jacob encounters a stranger. In this strange story, he finds himself wrestling with a…man, angel, God? What do we do when we encounter weirdness in the Bible? Welcome to the third … Continue reading
When three strangers visit Abraham and Sarah, Abraham responds with exuberant—some might say excessive—hospitality and the fulfillment of God’s promise fills Sarah with exuberant joy. Adam & Eve to Abraham & Sarah Welcome back for the second Sunday of the … Continue reading
Confirmation is an important rite of passage in many congregations. A well-balanced and varied set of elements works together to create an impactful, three-dimensional program. Larger Than Life He was a giant of a man with wavy silver hair and … Continue reading
The creation story in Genesis 2, like the rest of Scripture, has been used to justify the exclusion and mistreatment of women and LGBTQIA+ people. This is antithetical to God’s unconditional love. Beginnings Welcome to the beginning of the Narrative … Continue reading
Due to a high level of interest in my previous post “Inclusive or Exclusive Worship?” I decided to pull out a couple of posts in a previous series called Expansive Worship that continues this topic. In the last two weeks, … Continue reading