By Katie Murray My 4-year-old son has become rather enthralled with the hymn “Joy to the World” this month. He has taken the phrase “heaven and nature sing” as his personal mantra and sings the song all day, plays it on our music speakers throughout the house, and as...
By Abbey Adcox As Christmas approaches, reminders to be joyful are everywhere. JOY is emblazoned on sweaters, ornaments and wrapping paper, urging us to feel this emotion. This tinsel-covered joy feels out of reach for me this year. My heart is heavy with grief over...
By Charlie Fuller I have a set of people in my life who bring me peace. These are people I always look forward to being with. People with whom I share many common bonds. When I’m with them I always dread saying goodbye. But when I leave their presence, I’m always the...
By Timothy Peoples Today is the first Sunday of Advent, which traditionally focuses on hope. Each time we come to this Sunday, I’m reminded that I’m not the most hopeful about our world. I know, I know, that’s not the way to see the world or come into the season of...
By LeAnn Hampton Today, Christ the King Sunday, is the last Sunday of the church year. This is also Thanksgiving week, and next Sunday will mark the beginning of Advent. And so begins the holiday season. How are you feeling about this time of year? Calm, peaceful,...
By Heather Mustain This past weekend I helped the kids put up small Christmas trees in their bedrooms, betraying my own rule of no Christmas decor pre-Thanksgiving. The last couple of weeks have left me searching for joy wherever I can find it. And it’s amazing how a...
By Scott Spreier Would you recognize Jesus if you met him face to face? Or would you wonder if he’s just another one you could not place? You may not find him coming in a chariot of the Lord, Jesus could be riding in a ’49 Ford. While walking the dogs Wednesday,...
By Katie Murray Today is the day we observe All Saints Day as a congregation. A day where we pause to remember those who are no longer with us, but also, in a way that only faith in a God who conquered death can explain, still journey with us. The liturgical calendar...
By Darren DeMent Sequels. Reboots. Existing IP. Extended narrative universes. It seems like that’s all we get when it comes to movies these days. An article in Forbes magazine highlighting recent cultural trends noted that in the 1990s, just 11.7% of the domestic box...
By R.G. Huff Tomorrow marks the end of my 75th year. “Happy birthday to me” and all that! Almost every Sunday of those three-score-and-fifteen years, I have found myself in church … praying, listening, learning — and singing the hymns and gospel songs that shaped my...