Better days
Though the pipe organ welcomes us into traditional Presbyterian churches, the Hammond B3 organ is a Black church staple. As our organist..
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What are you reading this summer?
Guest blog by Russ Kerr I love summer reading! Winter reading is for curling up with a cozy blanket next to the..
Order of worship — August 22, 2021
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free..
And God Spoke with His People: Sermons from the 1980s by an East German Pastor
Werner Krusche, translated by James S. Currie Parson’s Porch Books, 192 pages Sermons, it is often said, are delivered to a particular..
Christian Community
(To my friends at Central Presbyterian Church) I was lost. I didn’t know it. I thought I had it all together. I..
Means of Grace: A Year of Weekly Devotions
Fleming Rutledge, edited by Laura Bardolph Hubers Eerdmans, 279 pages Reviewed by Emily Berman D’Andrea As a pastor, I am always looking..
The Post-Quarantine Church: Six Urgent Challenges and Opportunities That Will Determine the Future of Your Congregation
Thom S. Rainer Tyndale Momemtum, 128 pages One of my favorite TV shows is “Friends.” In one episode, the character Ross buys..
Labyrinth
Guest commentary by Matt Matthews “To be quiet, even wordless, in a good place is a better gift than poetry.” —Wendell..
Delivered Out of Empire: Pivotal Moments in the Book of Exodus, Part 1
Walter Brueggemann Westminster John Knox Press, 114 pages Reviewed by Mark Peake When you’re given the task of reviewing Walter Brueggemann, what..
Making way for a new creation: Adaptive leadership, Jesus and the Canaanite woman show us the way
Remember those Zoom meetings early in the pandemic when “you’re on mute” became our communal refrain? At the start of the COVID-19..
What’s right about Tustin Presbyterian Church?
Tustin Presbyterian Church — Tustin, California Though known for his friendly sense of humor, pastor Steve Ranney felt that a “sign of..
Hope in Disarray: Piecing Our Lives Together in Faith
Grace Ji-Sun Kim The Pilgrim Press, 160 pages Reviewed by Eunjin Jeon Grace Ji-Sun Kim, an ordained Presbyterian minister and a professor..
Ministry and social media
On a hot summer Friday night, 30 millennials, a few seasoned saints and a couple of kids gathered in the basement of..
German shepherd theology
In Ana Menéndez’ book ‘’In Cuba I was a German Shepherd,’’ Máximo, a Cuban immigrant, tells a joke about Juanito the dog..
Let’s connect: Menucha
Menucha Retreat & Conference Center | Corbett, Oregon We believe that people are better emotionally, spiritually and physically when they are gathered..
The challenge to forgive
Guest commentary by Glenn Burkland In leading and attending Bible studies over the years, I have noticed one topic that eventually makes..
Cotton-Eyed Joe: A Tale of Grace
Bob Lively Treaty Oak Publishers, 425 pages Reviewed by Thomas Currie At the present time, there are 27 states that have capital..
A special kind of village
“Will you take care of this child?” The question caught DeEdra Clinkscale off guard. As a teacher, she had phoned the..
On gratitude
This past year has been marked by loss: Loss of loved ones and friends, loss of community and social gatherings, loss of..
Wanting to know
Guest commentary by Jim Chatham When I was in high school, I occasioned now and then into the home of a woman..
Resurrecting Church: Where Justice and Diversity Meet Radical Welcome and Healing Hope
John Cleghorn Fortress Press, 224 pages Reviewed by Cyndi Wunder Our world is intersectional. Increasingly we discover that our neighbor, our friend,..
Connecting ideas with action: Asa J. Lee, new president of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
This spring, the board of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary named Asa J. Lee as the seminary’s new president and professor of theological formation..
What’s right about Gayton Kirk Presbyterian Church?
Gayton Kirk Presbyterian Church — Henrico, Virginia Since 2018 our small congregation has assisted refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan —..
Keys to Bonhoeffer’s Haus: Exploring the World and Wisdom of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Laura M. Fabrycky Fortress Press, 275 pages Reviewed by Lisa D. Kenkeremath Laura Fabrycky’s book is a captivating melding of genres: part..
When the way forward is uncertain…
It happens every time I talk to a call center in the U.S. At some point the weary, remote-working call center employee..