Skip to main content
The Christian CenturyThe Christian Century

Marketing/Header Menu

  • Sections
  • Search
  • Current Issue
  • Free Newsletters
  • Donate
  • Renew
  • Subscribe

Mega-menu

  • Subscriber login
  • Topics
    • Politics & Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Church
    • Scripture
    • Theology
    • Life of Faith
  • Departments
    • Lectionary
    • Podcasts
    • News
    • Poetry
    • Books
    • Voices
    • Features
    • First Words
    • From the Editors
    • Screen Time
    • Interviews
    • On Art
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Back Issues
    • Latest Articles
    • Classified ads
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Bulk Subscriptions
    • Address Changes
    • Customer Service
  • Info
    • About Us
    • Mission
    • Staff
    • Advertising
    • Submissions
    • Rights & Permissions
  • Connect
    • Subscribe
    • Renew
    • Donate
    • Free Newsletters
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Subscriber Login

Since 1900, the Christian Century has published reporting, commentary, poetry, and essays on the role of faith in a pluralistic society.

© 2023 The Christian Century.

Contact Us   
Privacy Policy

Poetry

I Sit Among the Mothers

by Emily Patterson in the May 2025 issue
Published on May 27, 2025
ShareShare on TwitterShare on FacebookEmail to a friendPrint

in the balcony, summer heat risen, 
legs stuck to the pew. Cross

my hands, uncross them. Cross 
myself at the altar: bread 

and blood, body and wine.  
Wind my way back, grief quiet 

as the wafer on my tongue, 
soft as a hymn hummed

by a child, unheard.

This poem appears in the May 2025 issue.

We would love to hear from you. Let us know what you think about this article by writing a letter to the editors.

Most Recent

A brief history of hating liberalism

by Wayne N. Miller

Episode 51: GG Renee Hill, creative coach and author of Story Work

Ride on

by Peter W. Marty

Teresa of Ávila speaks again

by Jeannine Marie Pitas
 

Most Popular

Features

The priesthood of all chatbots?

I’m sure there are good uses for AI in our churches. Prayer and preaching aren’t among them.
by Zac Koons
Voices

The rise and fall of children’s Sunday school

Faith formation isn’t dead. It’s happening outside the classroom.
by Stephanie Perdew
Features

My artificial chaplains

While recovering from a hiking accident, I posed the same theological question to multiple AI spiritual counselors.
by Danielle Tumminio Hansen
Voices

Dear Israel

There are some things I understand and others I cannot.
by Samuel Wells
The Christian CenturyThe Christian Century

Since 1900, the Christian Century has published reporting, commentary, poetry, and essays on the role of faith in a pluralistic society.
 


BlueSky logo  Facebook icon  Instargram logo

© 2025 The Christian Century. All rights reserved.

Contact Us  
Privacy Policy

Mega-menu

  • Subscriber login
  • Topics
    • Politics & Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Church
    • Scripture
    • Theology
    • Life of Faith
  • Departments
    • Lectionary
    • Podcasts
    • News
    • Poetry
    • Books
    • Voices
    • Features
    • First Words
    • From the Editors
    • Screen Time
    • Interviews
    • On Art
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Back Issues
    • Latest Articles
    • Classified ads
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Bulk Subscriptions
    • Address Changes
    • Customer Service
  • Info
    • About Us
    • Mission
    • Staff
    • Advertising
    • Submissions
    • Rights & Permissions
  • Connect
    • Subscribe
    • Renew
    • Donate
    • Free Newsletters
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Subscriber Login