Bridgewater Baptist Church, Beatific Prelude Listen reverently as Charlie Haden and John Taylor play “Bittersweet,” the sound of this story. Greeting Imagine a young man, newly arrived in America, suitcase in hand. He strolls through Electric Park as fireworks…
The spiritual practice of pressing on
By Jayne Hugo Davis There are few places as special to me as St. John’s Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Collegeville, Minn. The peace of the lake, the beauty of the art, the stability of the community, the ordering of…
How to bring dignity to firing church staff
Firing staff is never a pleasant experience. No one (except maybe Donald Trump on television) looks forward to telling a person that they now have to find another job. Firing people in an organization or church is often met with…
Called or not?
By Molly T. Marshall I had a very interesting conversation yesterday with a successful cancer doctor who is thinking about taking early retirement and pursuing a degree in religious studies. He reflected on how much pain and suffering he had…
What ‘Wagon Wheel’ taught me about the kingdom of God
This past Monday, I went to a Memorial Day concert at Pisgah Brewery in Black Mountain. Old Crow Medicine Show, an old time bluegrass band was playing, and I accompanied my friend Natalie who happens to be one of their…
One millennial’s response to the recent Pew Research findings
My name is Seth Vopat, I am a husband and father of two boys, who happens to work in ministry as well. At age 33, I belong to the millennial generation which continues to make headline news. I continue to…
Where’s Barnabas?
By Doyle Sager One of my favorite scenes from the movie Christmas Vacation has Clark Griswold standing in his front yard with wife, children, parents and in-laws. They are shivering in the December cold, admiring the gaudy but brilliant Christmas…
On reading Malcolm X’s autobiography
Marking the 50th anniversary of its publication Malcolm X’s Autobiography was the first book that scared me. Here I was, in the transition from adolescence to young adulthood, secretly abandoning my pietist-revivalist rearing in favor of the more verdant fields…
Guns and suicide — how ministers can make a difference
As part of my engagement with LGBT-related issues over the last year, I have learned that this particular population is especially at risk for suicide, especially when they face strong rejection from families and faith communities. This has led me…
The uncomfortable discipline of remembering
As a pastor serving in an active military community, I am privileged to serve alongside those who serve or have valiantly served our country. In recent days I have enjoyed conversations with two retired Army chaplains, I have dialogued with…
An airman reflects: don’t thank me this Memorial Day
I was talking to one of our Air Force senior leaders the other day who said, “Everyone who has served on the front lines of this war has been forever changed.” That was cool, because “Forever Changed” is the name…
A modest proposal for future patriotic celebrations
Memorial Day is approaching. Students are looking forward to “warming-up” for summer vacation, and families are anticipating weekend festivities around beaches, swimming pools, and backyard grills. American flags will be prominently displayed, and most U.S. citizens at least intend to…