By Jayne Davis It was really such a simple plan. The group would meet at my house at 4:30 for coffee and dessert and then head off together to the nursing home at 6 to sing Christmas carols for residents…
Locating your door
By Molly T. Marshall I have invested time this summer reading David Brooks’ fine book, The Road to Character. He did not write it quickly — nearly seven years in the making — and in it he contrasts two forms…
The sound of silence
I am pastor of a Baptist congregation in Fort Collins, Colorado, and for the past two plus months, I have been on sabbatical. In addition to pursuing goals of resting, studying and revisioning, I have also attended three conferences, visited…
Who’s blessing whom?
By Scott Dickison Norma is one of my favorite church members. I’m sure pastors are not supposed to have favorite parishioners just like parents aren’t supposed to have favorite children, but hear my confession. I could go on and on…
Young ministers learn the pastor’s delicate balance
Elijah Zehyoue has been building toward ministry for nearly a decade. Growing up in the church in Baton Rouge, La., he began discerning God’s call as a 16-year-old. He graduated from Morehouse College as part of the Phi Beta Kappa…
Backward priorities: Athletics first, church last
By Aileen Lawrimore My kids rarely ask because they know what I’ll say: “Yes, you have to go to church.” In truth, there are exceptions, but my kids know that skipping church is never a given. OK, wait. Hear me:…
The spiritual practice of putting down roots
By Jayne Hugo Davis “In whatever place you find yourself, do not easily leave it.” — Abba Antony I love finding tiny volunteer maple saplings around my yard. They spring up between the bushes in the landscaping bed or behind…
Love already won
My grandmother, Eva Mae Thomas, was my first catechizer and theologian. At the age of 12, she put a pen and notepad in my hand and asked me to “write down all the Scriptures that the preacher says.” There were…
Adult coloring books emerging as popular spiritual practice
By Jeff Brumley Coloring as a spiritual practice has made the news recently. Yes, that’s “coloring” as in coloring books, crayons, colored pens and pencils, etc. Ditto for drawing, sketching and doodling as religious activities. In fact, one person told…
Looking forward with faith
Faith is awe in the face of mystery. – Rudolf Otto We gazed silently alongside an uncountable amount of people. The oddity was not in the differences of those of us present but in the symmetry of what we all…
Larger than the Church
By Starlette McNeill “If you are without a church home, then we invite you to come forward at this time.” This is the invitation that is extended in most, if not all, congregations after the delivery of the sermon. Having…
How toasts around the table bring surprising blessings among foreigners
That which we give makes us richer, that which is hoarded is lost. ~Shota Rustaveli, 12th Century Georgian poet Boredom was on the faces of the university students as they, their professor, a pastor and I waited in the stuffy…