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…
For the Monday prayer practices during Advent, I will be posting reflections on different characters from the Advent and Christmas stories. I pray a blessed and holy Advent for you all! The reflection below is adapted from a sermon I preached a few years ago. The scripture reading is Luke 1:5-25. – – – –…
Every year I try to find a healthy balance as I celebrate the holiday season with my family. On one hand, I want it to be fun. We all love candy and cookies and presents and lights. On the other hand, I am aware that the focus of our celebration should be on Christ and…
This morning at the gym, I found myself on the elliptical machine with two television options in front of me. To my left was evangelist Creflo Dollar telling his congregation that they could escape the prison of sin by being born again. To my right was supermodel Cindy Crawford telling viewers that for $39.95 a…
I LOVE ADVENT. The candles. The carols. The chocolate. . . . And of course the eager anticipation of the coming Christ child! This year our worship committee has decided to do Advent Conspiracy. (Actually, we’ve decided to take the basic themes of Advent Conspiracy and do our own thing because the Advent Conspiracy stuff…
As an adoptive parent, I feel obligated to write a post about adoption this November–National Adoption Month. And since the month is about over, the post is going up even though I don’t have a lot of warm fuzzy things to say about adoption right now. It’s been a difficult few days in parenting world…
I’m reading Christianity After Religion by Diana Butler Bass. She discusses the root of the term “religious”–religio. This, she says, means “finding a forgotten path of wonder and awe through the wilderness of human chaos and change.” (p. 97) Finding the path of wonder and awe . . . So do something wonderful today. Watch,…
Spacious Faith 