First Church has been exploring the series “Unraveled: Seeking God When Our Plans Fall Apart” since Sunday June 16th. This worship series comes from Sanctified Art. Every Sunday we will explore a Bible passage, art image, and our experiences of unraveling and weaving. Accompanying devotional books and bookmarks (outlining the order of topics) are available… Continue reading Unraveled: Seeking God When Our Plans Fall Apart
Category: Presence
Prayer: Tuning In Activities
Sunday we talked about the many ways to pray. Often, we are very good at talking, or making requests, but not so good at listening.Here are some ways to practice tuning in to God: As a family: Take a walk, a hike or just find a comfortable place to sit outdoors with the idea of… Continue reading Prayer: Tuning In Activities
It takes a little practice…
“Practicing the Presence” can sometimes seem like an elusive thing. Often, that is because we have certain expectations about the outcome… what the divine will look like in our lives. Other times, it is because there is no real formula for success. It is more about practice than perfection. For some of us that is… Continue reading It takes a little practice…
Faith in Action
This past spring four members of First Church (Pastor Beth Jarrett, Brenda Fox, Micah Morris, and Carol Stickley) attended the kick-off meeting of Faith in Action here in Harrisonburg. Faith in Action is an interdenominational organization formed to solve systemic problems in the local community and county. It seeks to move beyond charity to address… Continue reading Faith in Action
the dusty road…
A note about one of my illustrations: I was heavily influenced by Rob Bell’s book, Velvet Elvis and drew heavily upon his chapter on the dust of the Rabbi as one of my illustrations. I will italicize that section. Many of you now that I recently returned from a two-week vacation and I want to tell… Continue reading the dusty road…
Sabbath and Gratitude
As I reflect on what it means to cultivate gratitude and a generous heart as a spiritual practice, I am reminded of the importance of keeping the Sabbath. I found this blog I wrote a few years back that really captures my thoughts about this integral connection. It was a good reminder and I wanted to share it… Continue reading Sabbath and Gratitude
a practice to remember…
Tonight, many of us will meet together to practice remembering the last supper that Jesus shared with his disciples before his death on the cross. Some traditions will host love feasts, foot washing services and communion while others will simply take time to fellowship over a meal and remember together the significance of the events that took place so long… Continue reading a practice to remember…
worshiping a God who engages all of our senses…
As I read in Exodus this morning, I was struck with the details that God gave Moses on Mount Sinai for constructing the Tent of Meeting. He included a variety of woods, jewels, gold, purple yarns and colored fabrics … worship was to be a sensory feast. There were to be spices and oils to engage… Continue reading worshiping a God who engages all of our senses…
Listen for the whisper
There are some of us that worry… I happen to be one of those. It is not a trait that I am proud of especially since Jesus seems to say over and over to his disciples, “Do not worry”. Sometimes, my mind is so busy working through the possible outcomes of each day and each… Continue reading Listen for the whisper
some thoughts on relinquishing
A few years ago, I found myself going through a very dry time in my ministry. I found myself feeling tired, burnout, uncreative, and a little calloused. I was scheduled to spend a weekend at a local retreat center for prayer and reflection… this was not what I wanted to do… I really didn’t want… Continue reading some thoughts on relinquishing