The Altars Where We Worship: The Religious Significance of Popular Culture
Juan M. Floyd-Thomas, Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas and Mark G. Toulouse Westminster John Knox Press, 225 pages Reviewed by MaryAnn McKibben Dana..
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Confessions of an accidental youth minister
I have to confess something: I’ve never had a class in youth ministry. I never went to Montreat or Triennium as a..
Calendar check – November 2017
Nov. 5-10 Hunt, Texas Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Center Annual Conference Mo-Ranch. pccca.net Nov. 8-10 Baltimore Covenant Network Conference First &..
Calendar check – October 2017
OCT. 10 Outlook webinar: The Dazzling Tonic of Silence featuring Charlotte Matthews. www.bit.ly/outlooksilence Oct. 13-17 St. Louis Mid Council Leaders Gathering, Moderators..
Being filled: Coming of age in African churches
Throughout recorded history, African people have employed rites-of-passage practices and rituals to distinguish and celebrate the important non-reoccurring stages of the lives..
A light in the window
At 90 years old, Hazel Sparks still remembers how it felt to walk past Nelson Bell’s house and see the light on..
The smell of hope and strength: A pastoral reflection on DACA
Guest commentary by Adan A. Mairena In the basement of a North Philadelphia Roman Catholic church, there’s a stack of wooden tables,..
Readying children for confirmation… and beyond
But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to..
DACA: One Presbyterian congregation’s story
Guest commentary by Cindy Kohlmann Jane and Joe (names have been changed) are standing in front of me, the perfect picture of..
21st-century confirmation
Guest commentary by Nina Simone Each spring, somewhere between the end of the Super Bowl and opening day at the baseball fields,..
How does the end of DACA hit home for Presbyterians?
Guest commentary by Wendy Neff The announcement on Tuesday to let DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) expire in six months was..
Washington National Cathedral to remove windows honoring Confederate generals
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Following “considerable prayer and discussion” prompted by last month’s white supremacist protest in Charlottesville, Va., Washington National Cathedral has..
Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home
Traci Smith Chalice Press, 256 pages Reviewed by Michelle Sumption Time is a precious commodity. Frequent are the meetings when significant..
Catholic faith moves Houston’s ‘Mattress Mack’ to shelter Hurricane Harvey victims
HOUSTON (RNS) — Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale was kicking himself the morning after Hurricane Harvey made landfall, for closing his furniture stores while..
Congregations and confirmands on the faith journey together
It can be incredibly powerful to think of confirmation for the young people in our congregations as a rite of passage –..
DeRay McKesson
“I’m mindful that we aren’t born ‘woke,’ but something wakes us up. For some people it was a tweet, or a Facebook..
We, the Presbyterian people: On celebrating the Constitution of the U.S.A (30 years ago)
30 years ago — Sept 7-14, 1987 Marking the bicentennial of the Constitution of the United States, Presbyterians were called to remember..
When the English Fall
David Williams Algonquin Books, 242 pages Reviewed by Ruth Everhart Dystopian novels come in a variety of flavors (SciFi, YA and Canadian..
Can we have faith in the media during Donald Trump’s presidency?
Guest commentary by Randy Covington Editor’s note: Randy Covington is a Presbyterian elder and journalism professional. He was recently asked by his..
Envisioning the church of today: Ecological reformation for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Editor’s note: Grace Ji-Sun Kim attended the 2015 United Nations climate change convention as a journalist, and in 2016 as an observer...
Loving our neighbors (even the misguided ones) in Knoxville
Guest commentary by Dwyn M. Mounger “Man’s [sic] nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.” – John Calvin, “Institutes..
Hidden in His Own Story: Discovering Jesus in the Parables of the Gospels
Andrew Walton Resource/Wipf and Stock, Eugene, 60 pages Reviewed by Todd Jenkins Our age of increasing polarization and division – via culture,..
The call
Oh High Priest! Cleanse me with your water, Rid me of my impurity, Make me like the one who brought down fire,..
A time to speak
Guest commentary by Gary Charles This commentary was written Gary W. Charles, pastor of Cove Presbyterian Church in Covesville, Virginia, near Charlottesville...
What’s right about Aspinwall Presbyterian Church?
Aspinwall Presbyterian Church – Aspinwall, Pennsylvania In today's rapidly changing secular world, there are many important institutions. One of these institutions is..