Peace is not confined by convention (December 10, 2023)
In this second week of Advent, communities around the world will speak of peace, but what do we really mean? How far-reaching is our understanding of peace? Chris Burton reflects.
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Second Sunday of Advent — December 10, 2023
In a world of doubts, Teri McDowell Ott writes, there are eternal truths that we can cling to.
Discussion guide for November 2023 issue
In each issue of the Outlook, we include a discussion guide to further reflect on the issue. We recommend using this guide in your Bible study, small group or book club. It's our invitation into a faithful conversation.
“Thankful Turkeys” and Reign of Christ Sunday
How can we grasp gratitude when it feels far away, wonders Aaron Neff?
Beautiful and Terrible Things: Faith, Doubt, and Discovering a Way Back to Each Other
"Amy Butler invites readers to imagine a creative 'new way of being a church in the world,' one requiring an 'open-minded and open-hearted redirection of resources ...'" — Aram Feinberg
Liturgical arts: do they serve as a source of worship beyond the church walls?
Nadine Ellsworth-Moran, de’Angelo Dia and Smith Podris speak about how to engage liturgical arts in public spaces.
Order of worship — December 3, 2023
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Sing of Hope — Weekly Christian ed lesson
In this lesson for the first Sunday of Advent, children will hear and explore the hymn of hope “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.”
Home and hope in Ruth (December 3, 2023)
"Ruth demonstrates tremendous hope. Hope that this tragedy will not unwrite her own story. Hope that there is more to be written, and more to be lived," writes Chris Burton.
First Sunday of Advent — December 3, 2023
"This Advent, the political and social chaos of Jesus’ day resonates a little too well." Teri McDowell Ott reflects on Mark 13:24-37.
Devotional recommendations for Lent 2024
Amy Pagliarella has devotional recommendations for individuals, small groups and Jane Austen fans.
COGA approves updates to PHS mission statement, strategic plan
With the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly's approval, the Presbyterian Historical Society's mission statement now emphasizes: “Collect, Preserve, Share, Transform.”
Creativity births spiritual community
College chaplain Maggie Alsup is known around campus for the art projects she includes in chapel.
Talking about the Israel/Palestine conflict with children
Kids ask questions based on their concerns. Figuring out how to answer can be difficult, especially when we wish we could shield children from hard realities, writes Karen-Marie Yust.
The Present You, Lord, Might Open
Scott Barton turns Isaiah 64:1-9 into a prayer.
Contra Dancing After Divorce
A poem by Shuly Xóchitl Cawood.
Praying with finger paints
May your creating be your prayer, writes Ashley Mason Brown.
Praying for kinship on Thanksgiving
Daniel Heath pens a prayer honoring Indigenous peoples, the land, and the unifying aspects of Thanksgiving.
The Perfect Story: How to Tell Stories that Inform, Influence, and Inspire
"Karen Eber’s 'The Perfect Story' brilliantly demonstrates how to craft memorable stories that change hearts and minds," writes Amy Pagliarella.
A more profound Alleluia …
Michael Waschevski, who served on the committee that produced Glory to God, shares some thoughts on the art of worship.
Praying with pictures: The “Day by Day Deck”
Looking for the perfect gift for a parent, pastor or Sunday school teacher? Consider the "Day by Day Deck" — an inter-generational tool for praying with pictures.
Lunations: Poems
"Using the cycle of the moon’s phases as a guide, [Garrett] Mostowski exposes the reader to experiences with love that weave a complex picture of hope and despair," writes Walter Canter.
30 Heads of Churches urgently call on President Biden for ceasefire
In a November 9, 2023 letter to President Biden, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and thirty American Church based leaders called on President Biden and his Administration to support an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation, and restraint by all involved.
Reign of Christ Sunday — November 26, 2023
Our salvation – indeed, the redemption of the whole world – is inextricably bound to our relationships with one another, writes Ginna Bairby.
Do what is helpful (November 26, 2023)
"For any of us to be right, all the rest do not have to be wrong. Always more important than being right is being loving," shares Ted Foote Jr.
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