The seeds we scatter
Ministry isn’t about perfection but planting small seeds of care, faith, and presence, writes Teri McDowell Ott. God will bring unexpected growth over time.
More Stories from this Author
Litany and prayer after the Minneapolis shooting
Teri McDowell Ott offers a litany of lament and intercession after the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.
The Outlook staff will be off August 4-8 for sabbath
Outlook Editor Teri McDowell Ott shares why the Outlook plans to close for a week — and where you can find the worship resources you still need.
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost — August 10, 2025
When the future feels uncertain, God invites us to look up, writes Teri McDowell Ott. Beneath a sky full of promises, faith finds its next step.
Order of worship — August 10, 2025
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
O God, be near: A Lament after the flood
A heartfelt prayer for communities devastated by sudden floods, asking God to comfort the grieving, strengthen first responders, and sustain all who rebuild.
For such a time as this
Oftentimes, we read but do not act. How can we leverage our positions to thoughtfully expose injustice and protect the vulnerable, asks Teri McDowell Ott?
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost — July 13, 2025
What melts your heart shapes your faith, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
Order of worship — July 13, 2025
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Making neighbors
Let's reclaim community—because loving God means loving each other, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
Pentecost Sunday — June 8, 2025
Acts 2 offers a Spirit-filled vision of diverse community, holy imagination, and prophetic action to transform the world for good and for God, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
Order of worship — June 8, 2025
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
The principles of Kingian Nonviolence
Nonviolent resistance requires more courage and strength than violence, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
The power we hold to make peace
"Peace often requires more of us than violence: more courage, more creativity, more strategic thinking, more faith," writes Teri McDowell Ott.
Order of worship — May 11, 2025
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Fourth Sunday of Easter — May 11, 2025
On Mother’s Day and the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Teri McDowell Ott reflects on Tabitha’s story and the vital, often unseen, work of women.
Stated Clerk Jihyun Oh on leadership, cuts, and accountability
Outlook Editor/Publisher Teri McDowell Ott sat down with Stated Clerk Jihyun Oh to discuss public statements, program cuts, and leadership decisions.
Order of worship — April 20, 2025
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Easter Sunday — April 20, 2025
On Easter, we celebrate freedom in Christ. But who gets the mic? Teri McDowell Ott reflects.
The transformative power of Easter joy
A barista’s joy transforms Teri McDowell Ott's routine Starbucks visit into a lesson on contagious, life-changing joy — shared, uncontained, and deeply felt.
Our Instagram is back — but we’re still leaving. Here’s why.
Meta reinstated Presbyterian Outlook's Instagram, but we're still leaving. Here's why we're prioritizing ethical engagement over corporate algorithms.
Jesus’ call to curiosity: Detaching from what we think we know
Being curious takes vulnerability and courage, writes Teri McDowell Ott, but this is the soft, fertile soil from which spring flowers bloom.
Presbyterian Outlook banned by Instagram: What happened and where to find us now
Presbyterian Outlook’s Instagram was suspended by Meta without explanation. Learn what happened and where to find us now.
Second Sunday in Lent — March 16, 2025
Psalm 27 invites us to explore faith, fear, and the ways we hide — only to be called out into courage, writes Teri McDowell Ott. How do we move from hiding to trusting God?
Order of worship — March 16, 2025
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.