You may have seen this ad making the rounds on Facebook. It’s for one of the guns used by the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary. In addition to discussions about gun control and mental health care, the recent killings are also prompting a much-needed discussion of gender roles and societal definitions of “manhood.” We do…
This week’s Advent reflection is a guest post by Joe Casad, a member of the church I serve. He shared these thoughts in worship on Sunday, and I wanted to pass along the humor and the tenderness of what he shared. Much thanks to Joe for allowing me to post this! – – – –…
I was working on our Christmas Eve program Friday when I heard the news about the shootings in Connecticut. Shootings at an elementary school. An elementary school. Dead bodies–little bodies–sprawled on the floor. Bloody children. Wailing parents. It was hard to get back into the Christmas spirit after hearing that news. Hard to write about…
I’ve just posted the Christmas Eve liturgy we’ll be using at Peace Mennonite this year. It’s basically scriptures and hymns–like we do every year. But I’ve been absorbing inspiration from lots of my pastor-blogger friends and wanted to do something a little bit different. So thanks to Marci Glass for suggesting the song “Better Day”…
God of the broken-hearted, God of the broken heart, Receive our sighs too deep for words. In your time by your grace heal us. In this meantime hold us as we weep. Hold us and rock us with the rhythm of your own grief-struck quaking body. Amen (I wrote this several months ago when I…
As a pastor, I know that Advent is a time of preparation, a time of pondering, a time of patient waiting. It is a season to contemplate the growing darkness of our days and appreciate the promise held in the darkness of Mary’s womb. It is a time pregnant with the possibility of recognizing and…
Here is our candle-lighting call to worship for the third Sunday of Advent. The Advent Conspiracy theme for this week is “Give More,” and our focus will be on Mary. Check previous posts for candle-lighting liturgies for Advent 1 and Advent 2. One: During these weeks of Advent, we prepare gifts. We look forward with…
My oldest two children came into our family as a foster-to-adopt placement. We were told that their biological dad was not in the picture and mom would not be able to get custody. They were foster children that would be available for adoption soon. James was three and a half. Jasmine had just turned two.…
I’m getting ready to copy, bind, and ship the Colored Pencil Prayers books! All orders that I receive by midnight on Friday, December 7, are guaranteed to ship by Monday, December 10–which should get the books to you in plenty of time for Christmas. [Please note that you can order books after December 7, they…
I am preparing for this upcoming Sunday’s worship service–the second Sunday of Advent. The Advent Conspiracy theme for this week is “Spend Less.” And I should give credit to parishoner and friend Thomas Heilke for the phrase “right relationship with the economy”–which he manages to use about once a month in his insightful…
Spacious Faith 