blessing
How might God bless a divided America?
On a recent trip to the US, I went to church—and found myself pondering three liturgical moments.
Faith comes by hand
Throughout scripture, human bodies are not an obstacle to righteousness; they are its location.
Take and eat? When church members prefer just a blessing
Matt grew up in the Episcopal Church. One Sunday he appeared at the altar—with his arms crossed over his chest.
Worth the wait: The rare blessing of a benediction
As a child, I followed the order of worship in the bulletin, mentally checking off each item. My eyes were on the prize.
Prayer concern: Remembering all the victims of war
Each week my church includes a prayer for the families of American soldiers who have died. As the names are read, I try to hold them in prayer. But I have wrestled with these prayers.
To bless or baptize
I was ordained to the Disciples denomination. But I'm serving in a congregation of the UCC, and the plan is to be here for a good long while. So what to do about baptizing our children?
Struggle and blessing
Recently, I learned that a young couple I know had filed for divorce after 18 months of marriage. By my calculations, they spent more time planning the wedding than being married.