Guest commentary by Matthew J. Skolnik It appears to me that as the church wrestles with how to respond to COVID-19, that..
My 4-year-old came home from preschool singing, “He’s got the whooooooole world, in his hands!” His 7-year-old brother replied: “The whole world?..
Singing of where and who God is, Rabindranath Tagore, a Hindu philosopher and a Nobel laureate for literature, passionately insisted, “God..
What God looks like In his TED Talk, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” Sir Ken Robinson tells the story of a little girl..
A wondrous mystery One of my favorite theological quotes comes from Saint Augustine who insists that “if we have understood, what we..
Who is God, really? And how do we know who God really is? I drive frequently on highways dotted with billboards that..
We “bury” or “lock up” our alleluias on Ash Wednesday in preparation for Lent. This is not my idea, but an ancient..
As Lent approaches, I often feel torn between ramping up our opportunities at church and embracing the quiet of this season. In..
Like the son who takes his share, and wanders from his place, so we your wandering children here would yearn to sing..
Guest commentary by Jeffrey Myers Presbyterians (and other church folk) who would enjoy sharing in the Beethoven Jubilee Year – the composer´s..
One of my favorite moments in film takes place in “The Shawshank Redemption.” Andy Dufrense, ex-banker and supposed ex-murderer, has been serving..
I was asked recently to identify a favorite hymn. The task was harder than I expected. I love music and I especially..
As a young organist myself, I feel the responsibility of connecting younger generations to this awe-inspiring instrument. My professor at Mississippi College,..
I feared elevators as a child. In an attempt to lessen my fears, my parents described them as “moving rooms that close..
It was irritating, and yet it was fascinating — in an “oh my God” sort of way. On the morning Amtrak train..
Much of my earliest faith formation came from singing in children’s choirs. Before learning the words and music of our anthems, we..
Upon learning that I grew up in the Moravian Church, a person will often mention the cookies! A church can have a..
What’s my favorite hymn? There are two I simply cannot decide between. The first is #525 in the blue Presbyterian Hymnal (the..
First things first: You can sing. You are sound. You are song. You are meant to sing with others. Others are hungry..
In preparing for Advent, a colleague shared a quote from theologian Thomas Merton that was included in a collection of devotionals, “A..
How did it happen that I became so dependent on church hymns to function, to flourish, to live the Christian life, to..
I had the happy privilege of serving on the Committee on Preparation for Ministry in North Carolina. We coached, encouraged and challenged..
The Holy did not speak to me through a burning bush. Nor did I hear a booming voice from heaven or a..
I’m still thinking about the parable of the dishonest/shrewd/clever manager (Luke 16:1-3) that I preached on recently. It is a confusing story..
What does church sound like? If you asked me this, I might say it’s a bell peal before service that holds both..
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