The congregation I serve has a Ministry Team. The four members and I meet once a month to pray for people connected with the church and to discuss any needs people have that the church might be able to meet. Everyone who is actively part of the congregation is assigned to one of the Team…
This morning I have a call to worship and prayer of confession based primarily on Deuteronomy 30:19-20. For those of you planning for worship, I pray a fruitful, spirit-filled preparation. Call to Worship God has set before us life and death. We long to choose life. God has set before us blessings and curses. We…
I have long loved this week’s Old Testament lectionary text, Deuteronomy 30:15-20. “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live.” These words are dear to my spirit . . . “choose life.” Yet as I read the passage this time around, I…
The “Friday Five” over at Rev. Gal Blog Pals today is to share the top 5 perks/gifts of ministry. “Perks” and “gifts” seem like quite distinct categories. The “perks” would be my flexible schedule, my travel and continuing ed allowance, my housing tax break, the ability to do a lot of my work from home,…
Call to Worship, based on John 15: 1-8 We are branches, rooted in the vine of Christ. We come because we seek to abide in Christ. The branches that remain in the vine bear much fruit. We come because we long to be spiritually vibrant, alive, productive. If we abide in Christ, then Christ’s words…
My sermon text this past Sunday was the gospel reading from the Lectionary: Matthew 5:1-12, a.k.a. The Beatitudes. As I read and studied this passage last week, Jesus’ familiar words struck me in a new way. Where previously I had read judgement for all of the ways I fall short–of poverty of spirit, of meekness,…
The “blog challenge” on RevGalPals today is to write about your five favorite Bible verses. And those who have posted their responses hit on all kinds of beautiful, heart-warming, challenging, encouraging passages of scripture. I’ve appreciated being reminded of the many words of love and hope contained in the Bible. But I’ll be honest here.…
So after I posted the prayer of confession this morning I dug into the text (Matthew 5:1-12) and read several blogs and articles about the Beatitudes. I now realize that I got it wrong. Jesus does not call us to do all of that stuff in the Beatitudes. Jesus pronounces blessing on those for whom…
This is a responsive prayer of confession based on Matthew 5:1-12. The assurance of pardon is based on 1 Corinthians 1:30. The intent is that the leader speaks the plain text and the congregation speaks the bold. Italicized words are for all. Prayer of Confession Gracious God, we come before you to confess that we…
Monday morning I attended the first session of my collage class, taught by the wonderful artist Lora Jost. There were only three students, and at the end of the session, we each showed and explained the collages we had made. One of my fellow students, a 20-something guy, explained that the small man in his…
Spacious Faith 