Read to leave home
To grow, we need to “leave home” physically, psychologically or spiritually, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
More Stories from this Author
Pentecost Sunday — May 19, 2024
Teri McDowell Ott considers Acts 2 in light of the Tower of Babel. Perhaps the gift of Pentecost is the cure for a lonely world, she writes.
Order of worship — May 19, 2024
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Multiplying gifts
When we start from a perspective of abundance, our blessings become clear and our work less daunting, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
Seventh Sunday of Easter — May 12, 2024
What would life look like if we sought out those we don't know, asks Teri McDowell Ott?
Order of worship — May 12, 2024
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
A prayer after Iran’s strike on Israel
We shall not look away. We shall not ignore the atrocities. We pray for the killing to stop. We pray for peace. — Teri McDowell Ott
Fourth Sunday of Easter — April 21, 2024
"Fostering a sense of belonging means giving up some of our control, allowing ourselves to be guests instead of hosts in a space that feels like ours," writes Teri McDowell Ott.
Order of worship — April 21, 2024
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Transformative hospitality: To be welcomed shapes us into a welcoming people.
Teri McDowell Ott reflects on hospitality from the perspective of her local hospital's emergency waiting room.
A prayer for the Baltimore bridge collapse
Early on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, a container ship crashed into a 1.5 mile bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. Several vehicles fell into the waters below.
Order of worship — Easter Sunday
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Easter Sunday — March 31, 2024
The original end of Mark's Gospel is one full of questions and fear, writes Teri McDowell Ott. And that's ok. It’s not a fear without faith or hope.
AI: Reflection, evolution, transformation
In my experience, teaching others is one of the best ways to learn, writes Teri McDowell Ott. With that in mind, what can we learn as we teach AI?
Deep listening dinners at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago
Fourth Presbyterian Church’s “Deep Listening Dinners” focus on strengthening relationships, developing conversational skills and practicing handling differences in a respectful manner.
Second Sunday of Lent — February 25, 2024
Is faith something to market? Maybe, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
Order of worship — February 25, 2024
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Order of worship — February 18, 2024
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
First Sunday of Lent — February 18, 2024
"We put more energy into building and maintaining walls to mark our boundaries ... than we put into building relationships, diverse communities and just systems that remove the need for walls." — Teri McDowell Ott
Purple church possibilities
Whether you desire a new building or a new interpretation of Scripture, progress cannot be made if leaders are conflict-averse, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
Order of worship — February 4, 2024
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany — February 4, 2024
The pressures of our lives can leave us withered and exhausted. But when we remember our story, we will find the wind that helps us take flight, bringing us home, writes Teri McDowell Ott.
Black Presbyterian leadership and churches
The whole church is in decline, but more than 80% of Black Presbyterian churches are without installed pastors. Warren Lesane Jr., Shavon Starling-Louis, Stephen Scott and Teri McDowell Ott discuss vital Black leadership.
Small is beautiful
"Church vitality is more about spirit than size, and small churches across the country often serve as hubs of connection for small towns and rural areas." — Teri McDowell Ott
Second Sunday after the Epiphany — January 14, 2024
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me.” This knowing can be painful and challenging. The truth often is. Yet God pursues us in love and offers us the truth as a path to healing. — Teri McDowell Ott