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...
By Maggie Morey “Come, thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace.” The first time I went to the symphony, my father took me for my 11th birthday. I was excited, shifting in my seat amongst the babble of voices, and unsure what to expect. Suddenly,...
By Charlie Fuller When I was executive pastor at First Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., we had a set of flags representing the nations of the world. We would place them in hangers above our heads all the way around our sanctuary and leave them up from Pentecost...
By Scott Spreier God: A burning question, given the current wars and rumors of wars. A desperate query, considering the political and cultural strife rending our democracy, not to mention the sacred fabric of our once shared faith. A plea of sorts, if you’re...