It’s that time of year when there is talk about New Year’s Resolutions. The object is to take the new blank year and focus on some goals to make our lives better. I gave up making them years ago because they were not a motivating factor for me. As I think about why… Read More »
The Beauty and Bounty of the Earth
Happy New Year a few days early! On Sunday, January 1, 2023, we will gather in worship and hear the familiar story of the Three Wise Men. We will also receive the bread and the juice of Holy Communion. One of the lines in the Eucharist Prayer for this Sunday is: We bless you… Read More »
Let Go of Your Busy To-Do List
As I write these words, my house is far from decorated for Christmas morning, but my heart is full with the story of God coming to us (God-with-us). It is that time in the Advent season where pastors are knee-deep in thinking about the Christmas Eve service and likely recovering from the various special… Read More »
Song in the Air
There’s a song in the air! There’s a star in the sky! There’s a mother’s deep prayer and a baby’s low cry! And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing, for the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King! This carol written by Josiah G. Holland in 1872 brings back memories of church services… Read More »
St. Nicholas
Greenbelt Community Church is having a Christmas Festival on the Lawn this Sunday (December 11th). This is a first-time event, but its roots are in the past. During the Pandemic I served as Interim to a church in Middletown, Maryland. We were not able to meet safely indoors, so our imaginations stretched. Our… Read More »
Advent Season
This past Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent. During the Time with Young Disciples, we had a conversation about Advent. When I asked what Advent meant, they drew a blank. Now, I know I could have just given some traditional answers such as “a time of preparation”, or “similar to Lent, a time… Read More »
The Bare Tree of Our Being Is Being Renewed
We’ve moved to a new phase of Fall. The leaves on the trees have fallen. Nature’s window dressing has come down. Every year it seems it happens so quickly. One day you are enjoying the oranges and reds and yellows and the next time you look around you see the outlines of the branches… Read More »
From Bread and Cup – Faith and Giving
One of my favorite “new” hymns is “Take My Gifts”. Take my gifts and let me love you, God who first of all loved me, gave me light and food and shelter, gave me life and set me free, now because your love has touched me, I have love to give away, now the bread… Read More »
What Does Our Giving Support?
How and where we give our charitable contributions has changed over the decades. There was a time when most families primarily gave money in the “charitable” category to the church. The church has long been custodian of people’s money so that the real needs of people in their community and the world are met. The… Read More »
The Pledge Drive System
You know you have been around the life of a church a long time when words like chancel, narthex, Trinity, pledge don’t make you pause and wonder what is going on. One of those words, “pledge”, is a fixture of many churches each year. Longtime members know what it is all about. Some church… Read More »
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