Ingredients for Worship
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What To Do Without a Church Musician
It happens every once in a while. A vacation is scheduled. Plans are made. Maybe someone forgot to call around and secure someone to fill in or maybe there really is no one available. This seems more and more probable… Continue reading
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Prayers for Places of Honor
In this week’s gospel, we hear Jesus say, “Friend, move up higher.” It is a call for justice. It is an act of love. It is a reminder to remember how God sees us and offer each other that same honor as… Continue reading
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Prayers from the Pantry
Sometimes writing liturgy is like staring in the pantry and wondering what the heck you can make without going to the store. I resisted the temptation to go find some really great prayers written by others. (That would be the… Continue reading
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Worship with Fire
This is a tough week. The words from the Revised Common Lectionary that will inspire our worship this Sunday are hard. It is hard not to feel like a finger is being pointed directly at you. It’s hard not to… Continue reading
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Prayers for the Second Sunday of Easter
These prayers were written after searching long and hard for other prayers. I didn’t want to write my own. I wanted anyone else’s words to magnify my hopes for worship this Sunday but I just couldn’t find what I was… Continue reading
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Speaking to the Soul
I have not yet sat down to write my sermon on this Gospel Lesson but when I sat down to write this liturgy I was still thinking about that prayer that Jesus taught last week. I’m still thinking about the words… Continue reading
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Spicing Up the Lord’s Prayer
Ask… Search… Knock. Jesus offers these three bits of wisdom in the gospel lesson for this Sunday. Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you (Luke 11:9, NRSV). That sounds great… Continue reading
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What Does This Mean?
Then “there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind.” Other translations describe it as a mighty wind. Or that it was a gale force. Not a calm, peaceful breeze. This wind is powerful. It’s violent so that… Continue reading
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We Cry for Help
Just a few Sundays after Easter, Psalm 30 leads us into worship. I wrote this for the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways for another season on another day. Nevertheless, it would still fit well on Easter 3C. I’ve adapted it only slightly… Continue reading
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Woman, Behold Thy Son
Tonight, I will share in worship with my home church at Old First Reformed United Church of Christ in the remembrance of Good Friday. It is the tradition in many places to share in hearing and reflecting upon the seven last words… Continue reading
Cooking with Elsa 