By Bill Leonard The Blessed Virgin Mary scares me. It happens every Advent. She questions my ways and means, confronts me with mystery, gives me guilt and makes me think twice before driving to the mall. Listening to the Blessed…
Advent as parenthesis
A parenthesis is a break in the flow of a thought, an interval, or a time between two events. We experience many events in life that embody this idea of waiting either in anticipation or in dread. Life transitions are…
Liberal like Jesus
By Terry Maples Language naturally evolves over time. I’ve observed the evolution of many words since my childhood. One example is the word “mouse.” When I was young the word referred to an undesirable furry rodent or the more winsome…
Forever Changed #13: flying our flags together
What a week! I know I say that every week. But it’s is true. How many of you aren’t happy unless you are running your life at 100 mph with your hair on fire? Most of you know that pretty…
Dear CBF
By Lesley-Ann Hix I was in elementary school when my church ordained one of our female ministers. We were excited. We even decorated her car. Someone painted, “Take that, Paige Patterson!” I asked my mom what it meant. “She’s a…
Pastors need to know the gift of disappointment
One of my favorite films is Rudy. If it’s on, we watch it. If we don’t have time to watch it, we DVR it. A pivotal scene takes place when Rudy speaks with a priest he has befriended. Rudy has done all…
A season to prepare
By Jerrod Hugenot Perhaps like you, I find myself somewhere between the heady rush of the season’s good tidings and the weighty counterpoint of reality.” How does one navigate the “Christmas season” while admitting that it’s a difficult time for…
Living Advent
I have noticed that by the time Christmas comes, my family gladly collapses together because we are all so tired from ‘celebrating’ for a full month. What if Advent is about more than simply anticipating Christmas? As a self-identified…
Many congregations are stuck in an overly churched culture
In the midst of a region of the world where the impact of a churched culture is fading, many congregations in North America are stuck in an overly churched culture perspective. As a result these congregations become insulated, isolated, and…