By Bill Wilson If asked to identify a favorite New Testament character, most of us go with the predictable and obvious: Barnabas, Mary, Nathaniel, Peter, Lydia, Timothy, Phoebe. You know the list. Let me remind you of an obscure character…
Learning to pray — again
By Bill Leonard “Abba Macarius was asked, ‘How should one pray?’ The old man said, ‘There is no need at all to make long discourses; it is enough to stretch out one’s hands and say, ‘Lord, as you will, and…
Congregational shifts are unsettling but essential
By Amy Butler It’s the first anniversary of my work as pastor at my church. To mark the occasion, I think it’s only appropriate to write a bit about — change. I think it would be a fairly objective statement…
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…
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…
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…
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 happiness U-curve
By John Chandler I am 54 years old and have wonderful news for people who are roughly my age: all things equal, life gets a lot better, and you are about to get happier. This, according to Brookings Institute senior…
The busybody of Christ
By Starlette McNeill So, it appears that I have slipped into a series and that this is now one of three parts on the body of Christ. I assure you that this reality was not planned. Maybe I should call…