How it all adds up — A sonnet of gratitude
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. — Psalm 90:12 When you three were..
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White supremacists found liable for violence at Charlottesville rally
(RNS) — A jury has found that a group that helped organized the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, is liable..
To give thanks — A poem
To Give Thanks… is to remember how it feels to experience belonging, to look long around a laden table and be glad..
Offensive grace: when it’s not “fair”
I think we’ve all heard someone older than us begin a sentence with, “When I was a kid …” The most famous..
A vital congregation changes hearts and lives
Your vital congregation journey puts you on a route that is a superhighway from the perspectives of both contemporary organizational theory and..
Stated Clerk reflects on outcome of Kyle Rittenhouse trial
J. Herbert Nelson says there is injustice in what many call justice (OGA) — As we approach this time of Thanksgiving in this..
How to have an Earth-friendly holiday season
(PNS) — The Presbyterian Hunger Program is offering advice for people who want to engage in more Earth-friendly holiday celebrations this year. Jessica Maudlin..
These Precious Days
Ann Patchett HarperCollins, 336 pages While Ann Patchett is perhaps best known as a fiction writer, it is always a treat to..
Pastoral transition: A better way?
A key bit of dialogue from a scene in the television series “ER” has stuck with me for a long time. Mark..
First Sunday of Advent — Family faith formation for November 28, 2021
Welcome Before you begin this week, gather a circle form (this can be a florist wreath form made of oasis or metal..
Order of worship — November 28, 2021
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for..
Hopes and dreams — Weekly Christian ed lesson
The church I serve just set a vision for the future. The process to create this vision was a lengthy one. We..
1st Sunday of Advent — Nov. 28, 2021
Luke 21:25–36 Advent 1C Thanks to this week’s guest writer! Andrew Taylor-Troutman is pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church in..
A prayer in response to the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial
“I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. But let justice roll down like waters,..
Presbyterian Foundation takes action to sustain funds for future generations
(PNS) — During its November Board of Trustees meeting, the Presbyterian Foundation Board took two actions which will ensure adequate funds are..
What’s right about First Presbyterian Church?
First Presbyterian Church — Red Wing, Minnesota When Jane and Ron Ward moved to Red Wing in 2004, Jane was training her..
“Blessed be the fall”
blessed be the fall dormancy begins per usual relief from the hectic buzzing and sweltering but gusts from tropical depressions usher us..
Haaland announces effort to protect, improve access to Indigenous sacred sites
(RNS) — U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has announced a new initiative to protect and improve access to sites across the..
New Revised Standard Version Bible updated with consideration for ‘modern sensibilities’
(RNS) — An updated edition of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible includes thousands of changes in language, reflecting the..
Pausing for equity: Presbyterians consider how General Assembly makes decisions
With the overall parameters set for the 2022 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – primarily the dates and the hybrid..
Clergy Renewal Programs Available Through The Lilly Endowment
The Lilly Endowment posts information about its clergy renewal programs (PNS) —The Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs at Christian Theological Seminary provide funds to congregations..
Welcoming the stranger through the Matthew 25 lens
(PNS)— The online Matthew 25 program series continues at 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Nov. 17. Hear the stories of newcomers to this..
Something in the Water: A 21st Century Civil Rights Odyssey
Michael W. Waters Chalice Press, 204 pages With “Something in the Water,” Michael W. Waters vividly offers the church the charge that..
Stop chasing the fly: Mars Hill and the problem of growth
In the third season of "Breaking Bad," Walter White – a chemistry teacher turned meth producer – loses a whole day in..
Catholic bishops greenlight Communion document, but don’t single out politicians
BALTIMORE (RNS) — After months of public debate over whether to deny the Eucharist to President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi..
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