They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:12) We recently heard these words from Jesus, “and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” The gospel lesson, of course, was Matthew 16:13-20. Peter had just blurted out, “You are the Messiah, son
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Parents as faith teachers
I recently read a social media post from an mother that said she was concerned about her son, who was expressing his love of God. She surprised me by continuing, “I wish I could just enjoy it and not feel this weird sadness about it.” This caused me to pause and reflect. The anxiety many
Nomads no more
I recently completed a book by Diana Butler Bass entitled Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church Is Transforming the Faith (HarperOne, 2006). At one point, Bass addresses an issue that confronts the Church universal in our modern age: radical individualism. We can get nostalgic about the day when people thought more
What is the purpose of the church?
Some say that churches are necessary to build community. I believe that they are. However, since there are many other organizations seeking to build community, what makes parishes different? Some say that the parish, in addition to building community, offers a place to worship God. That is also true – but then again, there are
Friday after Ash Wednesday – The Way of the Cross
Admirers of nature, like Henry David Thoreau, touch on the value of walking to strengthen the body, mind, and soul. How often have we heard an older person say that they enjoy their daily “constitutional” – a habit of walking the neighborhood or some other set path. Current exercise gurus tout the importance of walking
Thursday after Ash Wednesday: Time to Center
Photo: Getty images Every day as I sit in front of my computer to write a letter, compose an article, construct a bulletin or do something related to my work, I get frustrated because the machine often does not work as fast as I want it to. Stepping back a bit, I recognize how silly
Ash Wednesday – Developing Spiritual Practices
In his Prime Performance System, Dr. Jim Taylor* teaches that practice is the foundation of success in athletics: it’s what you do that determines whether you do or do not achieve your goals. While the spiritual life is not an athletic contest, there are some interesting parallels that arise. Practice like you compete. Simply put, practice has
Strength for the Journey: A beginning
As has become my custom during the days of Lent, I hope to make a faithful pilgrimage with the people of St. Luke’s, Lebanon, as we Journey Deeper during this holy season. To guide us along the way, I plan to use the reflections in Renee Miller’s Strength for the Journey, as a starting point. You
The burden of them is intolerable
We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us, the burden of them is intolerable. – The Book of Common Prayer, “The Confession of Sin,” Rite I There have been times when I have thought the language of the prayer book to be overly
Young Adults: Belonging comes before believing
Intentionally building a culture of encounter is a key element in bringing Christ to young adults in our society. Bringing people to faith is not only about giving them the right facts, but about creating an atmosphere where they feel safe to open up and be vulnerable about their entire lives. Toward this end, we