We live in a problem-solving, information-driven kind of world. Though we’re plagued by inconvenience, solutions never seem too far away. Not sure how long to air fry that frozen chicken breast? A quick Google takes care of that. Trying to decide if it’s appendicitis...

Preparing for Worship - John Kelly. For the past few weeks, a group has been meeting in the chapel during Sunday School to take a closer look at the practice of prayer. Not unlike worship, at times, prayer appears hopelessly abstract. Even more so, in the face of real...

Preparing for Worship - John Kelly, pastoral resident.   This weekend, we celebrate a man born in the era of the Great Depression — who became a leader of the Poor People’s Campaign. We remember a man whose childhood was backlit by the noisy chaos of World War II...

Preparing for Worship - John Kelly, pastoral resident.   “And Mary remained with [Elizabeth] about three months and then returned to her home” (Luke 1:56 NRSV). At this point in Luke’s Gospel, not even two chapters into the action, so much has already unfolded...

Preparing for worship - John Kelly.   No, I can’t be the only one. There have to be others — those whose shoulders also drop the moment they encounter the suggestion of inconvenience. Those whose unadulterated enthusiasm is one stubbed toe away from devolving...

Preparing for Worship - John Kelly.   Saturday morning, I realized I needed to run an errand. A guest room lamp had been out a while, and I needed to replace a couple of bulbs before some friends came into town. “An easy errand,” I assured myself. “I’ll be in and...

Preparing for Worship - John Kelly.   Astronomers have cross-referenced its abstract, celestial patterns against cold, hard data. Psychologists have plumbed the depths of its ethereal swirls and probed its electric hues for deeper insight and meaning. Even now —...

Preparing for Worship - John Kelly, pastoral resident.   Between ice storms, I fit in a visit to California. Though I spent the majority of last week in Bakersfield for a wedding, I was also able to sneak down to Pasadena for a symposium hosted by my alma mater,...

Preparing For Worship - John Kelly, pastoral resident A couple of months ago, the Washington Post published a feature highlighting the often bottom-of-mind women and men who’ve designed and maintained the hundreds of thousands of miles of hiking trails many Americans...