By Amy Butler Few people know how truly glamorous it is to be a pastor. We sit around reading and praying most days, sipping coffee and thinking deep thoughts about the state of the world and God and things like…
Why did Jesus have to die?
By Amy Butler Atonement just nags at me this time of year. Thanks to New Testament writers and thousands of years of church history, there are many different interpretations of Christ’s death as it relates to our salvation, probably as…
Working with someone who saved a country
By Amy Butler The objective of the community organizer was to help our church discover projects about which we are passionate, ideas for mission and ministry in our city. She began by asking everyone in the circle to mention one…
Drive-thru discipleship
By Amy Butler The Associated Press recently reported on churches offering drive-thru blessings on Ash Wednesday. Pastors in my city offeredashes and blessings at the Metro stations so hurried commuters could get their Lenten fix on the way to work….
Skipping Alleluia
By Amy Butler It happens every year, and on the scale of church conflict it can only be compared to an adjustment of the coffee-hour punch recipe without a full congregational vote of approval. Without fail, every single Lent somebody…
Funeral procession rules of the road
By Amy Butler A long-time member of our church went on to her heavenly reward a few weeks ago. Flora was the soul of kindness and grace, serving as an usher every single Sunday, welcoming people to worship from the…
What is good preaching?
By Amy Butler This week I began teaching a preaching practicum at a local seminary. As a place to start, my students received and turned in the assignment of a short reflection paper on one of my favorite topics, “What…
Ministry off the list
By Amy Butler On my desk I have an old-fashioned pad of paper on which I write, every day, all of the things I must accomplish. My list is a list of those tasks that hang over me — reports…
The perfect gift
By Amy Butler This time of year especially, I wish that gift-giving in our society happened a little differently than it does. The giving of gifts is forced into excessive displays concentrated in short periods of time every once in…
Lovers and dreamers
By Amy Butler The feelings the movie brought back were warm, and leaving the theater in gathering darkness I couldn’t help thinking to myself: “Some days I wish life were as simple now as it was back when The Muppet…
Finding the holy in Amish country
By Amy Butler In the middle of everyday life, how do we experience the holy? This was a question I’ve been pondering since a recent road trip to the quaint little town of Lancaster, Pa. I set out to…
Out of the mouths of babes
By Amy Butler I have a secret fear of children’s sermons, largely because, even though you are leading the time, you really have no control over the situation at all. Case in point: I had to do the children’s sermon…