Someone once described churches as places where we often present selective, redacted, highly edited versions of ourselves. Our message to each other – and to the outside world via the trappings of the “good life” – is that, like Stacy’s mom, we’ve got it going on: Shiny, happy people living our best lives ever, evenContinue reading “Holy Dysfunctional”
Author Archives: First Presbyterian Church
Golden Rings: A Prayer for the Fifth Day of Christmas
The Christian Church traditionally celebrates 12 days of Christmas from Dec. 25 through Jan. 5, which makes today the fifth day of Christmas. These dozen days inspire the holiday carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” According to its lyrics, the fifth day brings “my true love’s” gift of “five golden rings.” That typically conjures imagesContinue reading “Golden Rings: A Prayer for the Fifth Day of Christmas”
In Other Words
You see one every now and then, typically at a public event: A “land acknowledgement,” some sort of short, formal statement that recognizes Indigenous nations as the first stewards of the land on which we now all live. Land acknowledgement recognizes the enduring relationship that exists between Native peoples and their traditional territories. In whatContinue reading “In Other Words”
What Did Mary Know, and When Did She Know It?
The song asks the honest question, “Mary, did you know?” What did you know, and when did you know it? For some, the lyrics rub the wrong way with the course feeling of mansplaining to Mary, “Hey, did you know your Son wasn’t just some random kid?” The very notion is a non-starter: That MaryContinue reading “What Did Mary Know, and When Did She Know It?”
How Many Licks?
At a place called Marah, the Old Testament prophet Moses – at God’s command – tosses a mere stick into a pool of water too bitter to drink. That cane of wood no sooner splashes the surface when the waters turn sweet: Like the sultry spe-chew of a cold one popped open on a hotContinue reading “How Many Licks?”
To the Lord Who Heals, an Advent prayer
Along the long, hard slog from slavery in Egypt to freedom through the parted waters of the Red Sea, God provides for the Israelites despite their rebellious nature. That’s precisely what God promises to do. That’s the biblical style of covenant-making: Agreements made by two parties. In the Old Testament book of Exodus, the LordContinue reading “To the Lord Who Heals, an Advent prayer”
Bitter-Sweet
Complaining, grumbling, and doubting are among the human emotions fueling the plot of our Advent Scripture lessons from the Old Testament book of Exodus, the epic story of the Lord God freeing his people from slavery in Egypt. Their journey to freedom through the Red Sea has been grueling, demanding, and exhausting, and folks areContinue reading “Bitter-Sweet”
Connecting the Dots
The feelings and emotions that change stirs in your heart and mind are expected and understandable. You’re sad, anxious; disappointed, angry. Change challenges truths and understandings once regarded as absolute and unquestionable. Long-held assumptions start to feel flimsy and paper-thin. Time-honored bedrock suddenly feels like all-enveloping quicksand. Like it or not – mostly not, you’veContinue reading “Connecting the Dots”
Sing Along with Moses
When your mind’s made up, you don’t often change it, because, well, change is hard. Our history as individuals and communities proves the point. Yet look back even a mere handful of decades in our lived experience to discover that certain beliefs are changeable and attitudes do change: Many for the better, others not soContinue reading “Sing Along with Moses”
Wet Feet
Advent is a season of new beginnings, and Scripture is inviting us to see ourselves in two particular biblical stories of new beginnings – both tales briming with hopeful expectation and debilitating fear. In last Sunday’s opening scene of Luke’s Gospel, an angel surprises a faithful priest, Zechariah, with word that he and his wife,Continue reading “Wet Feet”