Preparing for Worship - Jeff Brummel, associate minister of music/organist  Sunday, May 23, is the celebration of something new — something so extraordinary yet so pivotal to the life of the church. It’s Pentecost Sunday! The day that the breath of God, through the...

Preparing for Worship - Mary Kay Jackman, Wilshire member.  On this seventh Sunday of Easter, we the church will be saying goodbye to Leanna Coyle-Carr. We have been blessed by her and her family for four years — two when her husband Aaron came into the pastoral...

Preparing for Worship - Ashley Robinson, pastoral resident.  This Sunday, May 9, marks the sixth Sunday in the season of Easter. While we direct our attention to resurrection and new life, there can also be a sense of trepidation in not knowing what to expect with all...

Preparing for Worship - Jeff Hampton, Wilshire member.  It’s hard to believe it’s May already. Winter seemed longer than usual, what with the pandemic and that crazy freeze in late February that seemed to leave all of nature in shock. Even now, we’re waiting and...

Preparing for Worship - Leigh Curl, pastoral resident.  This Sunday is Shepherd Sunday, where we reflect and give thanks for Christ, the good shepherd. Our prelude is “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say,” one of my favorite hymns. As it is our prelude, and while the...

Preparing for Worship - Leanna Coyle-Carr, pastoral resident.  Life is springing up all around us. Have you seen the blossoming trees or smelled the scrumptious honeysuckle? What joy! Of course, that means that not just a few of us are sniffling and sneezing in the...

Preparing for Worship - Heather Mustain, associate pastor This Sunday, April 11, the Second Sunday of Easter, we sing Easter People, Raise Your Voices. A quick scan of the lyrics will remind you of themes from George’s Easter sermon, “Not Here, There.” Just how does...

Preparing for Easter Worship - George Mason, senior pastor.  Maya Angelou was born on this day in 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. It seems fitting to view her life in an Easter frame. While working in Ghana in 1965, Maya met Malcolm X. He convinced her to come back to...

Preparing for Worship - Doug Haney, associate pastor.  Chiaroscuro. It’s an Italian word that means “light-dark.” I learned that word in an art appreciation class that Lori and I took together when we attended Georgia State University in Atlanta. In our undergraduate...

Preparing for Worship - Jeff Brummel, associate minister of music & organist Sunday morning’s hymn, “The God of Abraham Praise,” provides a musical connection between Christians and our Jewish sisters and brothers which is both historical and spiritual. The roots...