The joy that comes from Jesus
Advent reminds us that the best things in life are not the trinkets, toys, thrills, and temptations of this world that come from the outside in an attempt to give us a temporary thrill or some short-term pleasure. Life is about the gifts that God provides that work from the inside out and sustain us even when everything is not going our way. The themes of Advent point us to those gifts of hope, love, peace, and joy.
Starting the new church year reading the NRSVue
My congregation will begin reading from the NRSVue at the beginning of the new church year, the first Sunday of Advent. I am looking forward to continuing the journey with them with this “update.”
Why we do what we do in worship: developing a liturgy that is of the people
What would an exercise in developing a liturgy that is "of the people" mean? Forget about the divide between those who like liturgy that is rote vs. those who like liturgy that is spontaneous. I'm interested in the actual "heart" of liturgy, why we do what we do or why we even do it in the first place.
New church growth metric: How many dogs did you meet this week?
Do you want to know if your work as a pastor is having an impact on the community? Do you want to know if your church is transforming the lives of those outside its walls? If so, stop counting how many people attend worship or walk through your doors during the week. Rather, adopt this new metric: how many dogs did you meet this week?
Celebrating Advent and Christmas amid a war
On November 10, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem published a Statement on the Celebration of Advent and Christmas in the Midst of the War. I realized I needed to put the letter in front of our church council to see how, as a congregation, we might want to respond in solidarity. I'd like to invite you to do the same.