Shots rang out. Blood was everywhere. Bodies hit the floor. Children screamed. The images and descriptions of the scene at a school in Pakistan are more than horrific. Over 130 children are dead over an extremist religious ideology. From terrorist…
36 things I know after 36 years of marriage
This week, my husband and I will celebrate our 36th anniversary. Some years we’ve gotten dressed-up and gone out to dinner. Other years we’ve simply marked the day with a kiss. Once, we were both sick with the flu and…
I get tired of writing laments
Driving in to work yesterday morning I heard the news that the school in Peshawar, Pakistan had been attacked by the Taliban. They killed more than 130 children. They burned a teacher in front of the students in a classroom….
What they don’t tell you about Advent
Rethinking the ‘stand and greet’ time
This past week I posted a short excerpt from a Thom Rainer article where he discussed the disdain that many people have for the “Stand and Greet” time that is a part of many Sunday morning worship services. He argues…
20 questions you should ask to see if your minister is any good
By Derek Penwell If you ask most churchgoers whether their minister does a good job or not, they will fall all over themselves to give you an opinion. Good or bad, they make judgments about the service their pastor renders…
The sacramentality of tattoos
Following an Orthodox tradition, the executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches got a tattoo to commemorate her pilgrimage to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. It is a visible sign that points to invisible realities, she says.
Changes in marriage laws renew questions about role of the church
By General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman Even for astute observers, it is difficult to keep up with the rapidly changing legal developments concerning same-sex marriage. Legally, marriage is primarily a state law matter, but federal constitutional decisions and statutes also…
‘It meets my needs’ and other bad reasons for choosing a church
Like many in my generation, I’ve done some moving around and with each new move I’ve had to begin the difficult process of searching for a new church home. If you’re like most, a day is coming when you too…