Dancing with words
When I was born, the doctors bound me to a word: “girl.” Perhaps because this word never fit, I became obsessed with..
Latest Posts
Church basketball
At a church in New York, the young people participate in a church basketball league. A recent announcement read: “Our basketball team..
Presbyterian Church of South Sudan
Lynn and Sharon Kandel are mission workers with the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan. They’ve had travel difficulties with many postponements, and..
Daniel Herron
“Going into ministry, ‘virtual’ or ‘real,’ you cannot expect instant success — even if you pray for God’s blessing. The key is..
A family of rivals – 10 years ago
10 years ago — January 19, 2009 “Some convergences of timing … reflect little more than a coincidence. That an African-American would..
Bible study and skateboards meet at Skatechurch
TULSA, Okla. (RNS) — When Brant Lozano was 13, he thought the idea of a church for skateboarders was stupid. But a..
Benjamin: A short story
“Master, stop!” The disciples turned and saw a man running after them, the sort of man who didn’t usually have to run...
Prayer for those facing extreme cold this week
Sheltering God, we pray for all those in the path of the polar vortex gripping the nation. The calls have been made..
In polarized Washington, a Democrat anchors bipartisan friendships in faith
WASHINGTON (RNS) — President Trump doesn’t have a lot of nice things to say about Democrats these days. Well, except Sen. Chris..
Blue-eyed Snake
What in the world is a blue-eyed snake? A sign that things are surely changing, that what is old is sloughing off,..
Scrolls
1. How can you say, “We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us,” when, in fact, the false..
Co-Moderator of the 223rd General Assembly is moved by migrant struggles
LOUISVILLE (OGA) As the debate over building a wall along the U.S./Mexico border continues on Capitol Hill, leaders in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)..
Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience, and the Fight for a Sustainable Future
Mary Robinson Bloomsbury Publishing, 176 pages Reviewed by Susan G. De George Mary Robinson’s “Climate Justice” is in many ways the book..
God gives us a story
Flannery O’Connor prays: “Dear God, tonight it is not disappointing because you have given me a story. Don’t let me ever think,..
Bendiciónes: Reflections on praying at the border
Guest commentary by Aric Clark I raised two fingers as I prepared to offer what would be one of the most sacred..
3rd Sunday after Epiphany — January 27, 2019
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21 Ordinary 3C Maybe the cold temperatures, the short days and the sluggishness of..
Toes
We asked our bloggers to share what they have learned about managing conflict in ministry. Here are their reflections. What should really worry..
After the Trip: Unpacking Your Crosscultural Experience
IVP Books, 128 pages Reviewed by TJ Remaley “It was a life-changing trip!” So goes the all-too-common refrain of those returning home..
What’s right about First Presbyterian Church?
First Presbyterian Church — Donalsonville, Georgia Since 1898, Presbyterians in Donalsonville, Georgia, have been striving to be faithful to the great commandment and..
Disagreement vs. conflict
We asked our bloggers to share what they have learned about managing conflict in ministry. Here are their reflections. In current times, it..
Managing secrets maturely: Family systems theory for church leaders
Every pastor faces the constant challenge of how to handle personal and congregational “secrets.” Because of the unique relational nature of..
Remembering
Where I left the car keys, the remote for the TV, that letter from the lawyer, my spectacles and pills. I must..
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Stated Clerk recalls Poor People’s Campaign, other King legacies
(PNS) The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spent his last weeks on Earth in 1968 fighting to gain traction for the..
Alabama Presbyterian church suffers major tornado damage Saturday
(PNS) The almost two-century-old sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church in Wetumpka, Alabama was destroyed Saturday when a tornado struck the town, which..
Mornings with Bonhoeffer
Donald K. McKim Abingdon Press, 240 pages “No priest, no theologian stood at the cradle of Bethlehem. And yet, all Christian theology..
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