77 faith groups get total of $92 million for innovative faith programs for children
'Whether it's fragmentation, technological advances or spirituality, we need to refresh the traditional approaches to our faith,’ said one grant recipient.
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Books briefly noted: Fiction
Some recent pieces of fiction that you should add to your "to read" list.
Sabbath as a palace in time
Aaron Neff reflects on sabbath in conversations with parents and a rabbi.
Ancient Echoes: Refusing the Fear-Filled, Greed-Driven Toxicity of the Far Right
"Brueggemann’s goal is to make the case that the Bible, although ancient, is still relevant for our situation today." — Keith Curl-Dove
The Rev. Steve Pieters, who changed minds about AIDS, dies at 70
His vanguard interview with Tammy Faye Messner (Bakker at the time) aired in an era when fear and false information about HIV/AIDS ran rampant in conservative Christian communities.
Asking the better questions
Reporter Erin Dunigan speaks about the 2023 PC(USA) statistical report with denominational leader Lee Hinson-Hasty.
“Neither fear nor courage saves us”
Reflecting on T.S. Eliot’s “Gerontion” in light of a family health scare, Jenny Lee discovers a way forward through faithfulness — to God and to each other.
Few worship leaders avoid Hillsong, Bethel songs — despite controversies and scandal
A new study looked at how worship leaders pick music for services — at a time when a handful of megachurches dominate the market.
Books briefly noted: Religious non-fiction
Book Review Editor Amy Pagliarella highlights several religious non-fiction books to add to your list.
Closing a church faithfully
Doug Basler answered a call in 2020 to help revitalize a church. His true mission became a litany to leading – lovingly and faithfully – the letting go.
Sit in the Sun And Other Lessons in the Spiritual Wisdom of Cats
What can we learn from cats?
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost — July 30, 2023
The kingdom of heaven allows us to see our ordinary lives in extraordinary ways, Jo Wiersema writes, reflecting on Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52.
Playing with parables — Weekly Christian ed lesson
In this lesson, children will explore the parable genre and will wonder about several short parables offered in the Gospel of Matthew.
Three parables: Finding and gathering (July 30, 2023)
What if we viewed the three parables in Matthew 13:44-52 through the eyes of a child, Mark Hinds wonders?
Order of worship — July 30, 2023
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Rebecca Todd Peters is on a mission to get churches to talk about abortion
A Presbyterian minister and scholar is working to shift the cultural paradigm that abortion is sin.
Practicing Christians, Practical Atheists: How Cultural Liturgies and Everyday Social Practices Shape the Christian Life
"Davignon offers a blanket critique … (h)e views the modern world so negatively that he even critiques congregations that utilize secular tools such as social media to promote their ministries." — Jo Wiersema
Coming soon: A missional confirmation handbook for parents and mentors
You asked — we listened! We're adding a supplement to Changing the World: Confirmation for the Missional Church: "A Handbook for Parents and Mentors.”
Horizons — Sacred Encounters — Overview
Rosalind Banbury previews the next Horizons Bible study offered by the Presbyterian Women.
“It’s nice to rest together”
Andrew Taylor-Troutman shares how an hourly break at his community pool gives his family a glimpse of sabbath.
PTSD, mermaids and Saul
Did King Saul have PTSD, Elana Keppel Levy wonders? Perhaps. What she knows from her own life is this: surviving is an act of courage.
Redemption requires opportunity: A review of “All I See is the Future”
Colin Farmer reviews the documentary short "All I See is the Future" — recommending it to churches who want to engage topics like grace, redemption and mass incarceration.
Readers respond: #EndGunViolence
Here's what some readers are saying in response to our #EndGunViolence special issue released in June. Add your voice to the conversation!
Encountering hate, celebrating love
Brian R. Louis, a pastor in southern Arizona, shares the hate and love he experienced at a recent Pride parade.
Big churches sound alike. Little churches are the ‘Wild West’ of music, study finds.
Worship professor Will Bishop said that focusing on the most popular worship songs can miss what churches are actually singing.
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