Christmas morning falls on a Sunday this year. Just a few hours after the good news of Christ’s birth is shared at the late, late service on Saturday night, a few of the faithful will gather again to share in the old, old story on Sunday morning. I shared another complete service for Christmas thatContinue reading “Starry Christmas Morning Worship”
Category Archives: Ingredients for Worship
Candlelighting in the Shadows of Advent
Advent begins with one candle flickering in the shadows. It is then that we start to pay attention. It is when that match strikes that we start to notice the fullness of the shadows. It is not just dark or there would not be shadows. The light never disappeared. It was always there for weContinue reading “Candlelighting in the Shadows of Advent”
Lovely Dwelling
As summer fades, our churches are preparing for the same rush that school teachers are imagining with great anticipation and joy. There are lots of events and details for which pastors and teachers are eagerly planning. You, dear pastor, are starting to get excited for what might feel like the first ‘normal’ year of programmingContinue reading “Lovely Dwelling”
Post-Pandemic Home Blessing
My home church called it Homecoming Sunday. I never thought anything of it because the same verbiage was used in my first call too but I’ve heard that other places call it Rally Day or Kick Off Sunday. Maybe there are other names. I’ve been thinking a lot about home lately. We have been inContinue reading “Post-Pandemic Home Blessing”
Prayers for the Incomprehensible Ascension
A dear friend asked what it’s like to be here in Germany now. Another assumed that the news cycle most familiar would be the one that surrounds my physical place but it’s not true. We might live in Germany worlds away from our homeland but we have our own little American island in our apartment.Continue reading “Prayers for the Incomprehensible Ascension “
Prayers in Church on Mother’s Day
As a motherless daughter, I have some strong feelings about one of the celebrations that comes again this Sunday. I have not been quiet about it either and people have been less than kind about this particular opinion. People in my own family have been more unkind than people in the pews, if you canContinue reading “Prayers in Church on Mother’s Day”
Maundy Thursday Still in Coronatide
This season has not yet ended though mandates are changing. There are enough voices that is saying it’s over even when another wave lurks. Here in Germany, it’s already here and it’s so hard to know what will come. There is a war being fought a few thousand miles from where I sit which makesContinue reading “Maundy Thursday Still in Coronatide”
Pandemic Palm Sunday Psalms and Prayers
Though I have linked many times to the wonders of the Living Psalms Project cultivated and nurtured by my own United Church of Christ, I was humbled and thrilled to offer my own words to this wonderful collaboration. It was also really exciting to have the one and only Maren Tirabassi edit my words. I’veContinue reading “Pandemic Palm Sunday Psalms and Prayers”
Pandemic Prayers for Easter Sunday
Since it all began in Ukraine, I have been thinking about this poster. I’ve been thinking about it as my husband works longer hours trying to bring peace to the world. I’ve been thinking about it as I try to figure out how to share these new stressors and worries to my young girls. DoContinue reading “Pandemic Prayers for Easter Sunday”
Pandemic Psalms for Seventh Sunday after Epiphany
When I began this meditation on the psalms seven weeks ago, I thought it would welcome the wide array of emotions that I know are in these ancient songs. Those emotions are there in the other texts in these Sundays but the psalms seemed to hit only one or two notes. I thought it mightContinue reading “Pandemic Psalms for Seventh Sunday after Epiphany”
Cooking with Elsa 