Partners in God’s New Creation

Partners in God’s New Creation

Bringing Generations Together in Partnership Back in 1989, the One Great Hour of Sharing program adopted the theme: Partners in God’s New Creation. A member of the congregation I served suggested we build on this theme with congregation-wide OGHS activities that...
Visual Reflections: Epiphany

Visual Reflections: Epiphany

Art and Reflection by Ann Laird Jones    Epiphany is about movement and intersection and angles and people on the move: incarnational theology in all its brightness. It involves a persistent star whose light penetrates the darkest corners and kingdoms. Rather than...
Visual Reflection: The Annunciation to Mary

Visual Reflection: The Annunciation to Mary

Reflection by Beth Herrinton-Hodge In 1998, I had the opportunity to travel to Taizé, France on a study tour with Estelle McCarthy and fellow alumnae from Presbyterian School of Christian Education (PSCE). It was a life-changing, soul-deepening journey. I selected a...
Visual Reflection for Advent: Is there any hope?

Visual Reflection for Advent: Is there any hope?

In my worship community, we use art and art-making in worship as another layer of preaching and liturgy. On this day, I offer the piece before reading the text and invite folks to consider and answer aloud: What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? This...
A Prayer Reflection for Easter

A Prayer Reflection for Easter

By: A Prayer Reflection for Easter They went to the tomb and he was not there. In his place, a mound of discarded clothes and a young man. This wasn’t what they expected. So much in these past days had not been what they expected. A festive arrival in the old city. An...
Ashes to Go

Ashes to Go

By: I didn’t want to like it. The whole idea sounded a little contrived to me. I had read about people setting up Ash Wednesday ashes on a street corner, but didn’t like the idea of something rushed, outside of the atmosphere of worship. I got talked into...
Advent 4 and Christmas: Love

Advent 4 and Christmas: Love

By: Joyce Vance Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas: We blow out the candle of fear and light the candle of love. Lectionary texts: Isaiah 9:2-7; Luke 2:1-20 A child has been born! During the time of preparation, expectant parents have both joy and fear; hope and...
Advent 4 and Christmas: Love

Advent 3: Advent Joy

By: Tammy Wiens Third Sunday of Advent: We blow out the candle of bitterness and light the candle of joy. Lectionary texts: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Luke 1:46-55 Mary’s song in Luke 1 is known as The Magnificat. This title grows out of a Latin tradition where titles...
Advent 4 and Christmas: Love

Advent 2: Advent Peace

By: Jill Ver Steeg We blow out the candle of confrontation and light the candle of peace. Lectionary Texts: Isaiah 40:1-11, Mark 1:1-8 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is Mark’s way of saying “Genesis.” This is the genesis of all...