‘It is good once in a while to feel oneself in the hands of God, and not always eternally slinking around the familiar nooks and corners of a town where one always knows the way out.” Soren Kierkegaard “Pilgrimage” is one of the best metaphors for understanding the Christian faith. In 1678 John Bunyan wrote […]
Pilgrimage: Walking and Wandering as Spiritual Practice Read More »
One of the remarkable things about the Bible is that it never shies away from exposing our brokenness. It shows us the ugliest sides of humanity, ugliness that has been with us from the book of Genesis until today. A few weeks ago, Libby looked at the tragic story of Dinah’s sexual assault in Genesis
Extending Grace in a Dark Place Read More »
A friend of mine, Andy, once went on a vacation to Cancun after his first year of medical residency. It was a long awaited and much needed trip. Yet, even as he sat by the beautiful ocean with a glass of margarita in his hand he still found his mind ceaselessly thinking about life back
Can Sabbath Truly Be Restful? Read More »
During Lent a few years ago, our congregation began celebrating the Lord’s Supper weekly. At last, more than twenty years into our church plant-turned mission-oriented congregation, we became truly Reformed and truly ecumenical, honoring the best wisdom and practice of the global church. We love the sacrament more and more. Every Sunday the young and
Epiclesis and Loving Communion Read More »
This summer we’ve been working our way through the Book of Acts as part of our sermon series. We have heard and reflected on this first group of Christians. We have read about healings and miracles and God at work in so many ways. Acts is inspiring and encouraging and helps us think about the
Acts: Inspiring or Discouraging? Read More »
Last week some church planters were gathered together in the hospitality house of a New York monastery. The conversation, like the people gathered, was lively and stimulating. Most participants arrived knowing each other only tangentially. We were only beginning to get acquainted. Even so, joyful banter and word play bounced gracefully from one subject to
Peppermints, Mentos and Communion with Children Read More »
Easter is a day for feasting and celebration, but it is perhaps even more remarkable because it is not possible without the week that precedes it. Easter depends on betrayal, injustice, and painful prayers. Frankly, it’s a weird thing. For many Christians for a long long time, the season of Lent – the forty or
We are nearing the season of Lent in the Christian calendar. During Lent, we prepare for Christ’s death and resurrection. We may sometimes think of Lent as a time to “give something up.” There’s a long history of Christians spending these forty days before Easter emulating Christ’s ultimate sacrifice by making sacrifices of their own
The Rhythm of Waiting Read More »
Our calendars fill with special days. We circle them on our datebook or diary. We set annual reminders on our cell phones. We want to remember birthdays and anniversaries. We love to celebrate New Year’s and Valentine’s, Martin Luther King Jr. and Canada Day, Fourth of July and Thanksgiving. Or maybe our birth country taught
My favorite thing about following the church calendar is simple: Christmas gets 12 days. Yes, the 12 Days of Christmas is not just a fanciful song full of lords-a-leaping, and lots and lots of birds. It’s actually part of the way that the church has celebrated Christmas for a longtime – not one day, but
Christmas Feasting Read More »
