The thought that I think: A farewell to Aunt Ida
As I was completing this benedictory, I received the phone call that I had dreaded for several days. Aunt Ida, who had..
More Stories from this Author
Toward the year 2000: The NCC’s fifth decade (30 years ago)
30 years ago — January 7, 1991 Meeting in Portland, Ore., the National Council of Churches’ General Board celebrated its 40th anniversary..
The Long Night: Readings and Stories to Help You through Depression
Jessica Kantrowitz Fortress Press, 200 pages Reviewed by Jenn Zatopek Pastor and first-time author Jessica Kantrowitz has written a soulful manual for..
When kids experience a national crisis
Guest commentary by Sarah Iliff McGill Talking to children about current events like the attack on the Capitol is not going to..
Parenting in the midst of current events: A timeline of honest motherhood
Guest commentary by Sarah Iliff McGill Jan. 6 — 1:00 p.m. I tell my two children ages 6 and 4 that they..
A Scandalous People: Ephesians on the Meaning of Christian Faith and Human Life
Micah D. Carpenter Wipf and Stock, 184 pages Reviewed by Jamieson Prevoznak Ephesians has given generations of Christians deeply inspiring passages, but..
Reflections on a world turned upside down
Guest commentary by Jan Nolting Carter January 6 will be one of those touchpoint days where we will remember what we..
Mentoring and being mentored: What I learned and taught at Sing Sing prison
Bill Webber was a bigger-than-life mentor and one of the kindest persons I’ve known. He was president of New York Theological Seminary,..
The call for truth, peace and racial reckoning at the Capitol
Guest commentary by Mark McHugh It is worth being really honest about this moment historically as historical erasure is already underway. The..
Mentoring with the communion of the saints
Karen Marsh looks to “vintage” sinner-saints as conversation partners in college ministry.
What’s right about Mills River Presbyterian Church?
Mills River Presbyterian Church — Mills River, North Carolina When COVID-19 restrictions closed down Mills River Presbyterian Church, church leadership looked for..
Who Will Be a Witness? Igniting Activism for God’s Justice, Love, and Deliverance
Drew G.I. Hart Herald Press, 276 pages Reviewed by Neil Craigan Drew Hart states, “An important aspect of this book is an..
A purple church prayer after violence on Capitol Hill
On Epiphany, January 6, a day rightly dedicated to the discovery of the Christ-child, our national identity, trust and conscience were simultaneously..
O Lord, as the events of the world cause my strength to waiver, remind me that you are my strength
Dear God as we celebrate this Epiphany week, when Christ was made manifest as your gift to all the world, we pray..
Order in chaos: Participating in God’s creative ordering from our anguish
Guest commentary by Matthew Skolnik Just as stay-at-home orders marked a turning point in how we viewed and responded to COVID-19, yesterday,..
A prayer for the nation’s way forward
God of justice, love and hope, So many Americans, and people around the world, have hearts that are saddened and minds that..
Prayer for Epiphany when there’s a ****show in our Nation’s Capitol
Loving God who directed the Magi with a brilliant star, who created the stars shining brightly upon us tonight and the stars..
Follow the Star
This Epiphany prayer by Darcy Gillespie invites us to trust the light that leads us to Emmanuel — even when the path feels long and unclear.
The Essentials of Theory U: Core Principles and Applications
C. Otto Scharmer Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 204 pages Reviewed by Cyndi Wunder If you’re like me, you’ve read dozens of leadership and management..
A candle and call for 2021
Guest commentary by Liz Rasley Not sure about you, but I cannot wait for the fireworks this year. After all we’ve been..
Anti-racism as a spiritual practice
One of the things I connect with most in Reformed theology is the understanding of sin not as an individual act, but..
Emulating the shepherd boy
Across my dining room table, through the beveled glass of the cabinet, a pair a soft eyes greet mine. They are painted..
World Council of Churches Christmas Message (20 years ago)
20 years ago — December 18-25, 2000 It has been a centuries-old unwritten rule that at Christmas a ceasefire be observed in..
What’s right about Unionville Presbyterian Church?
Unionville Presbyterian Church — Unionville, Pennsylvania When COVID-19 closed the doors of the church building, we looked for ways to keep the..
Jack: A Novel
Marilynne Robinson Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 320 pages Reviewed by Sarah Kiewitz Young couples sometimes slip into cemeteries at night to have..