The Doxology we sing has the phrase “Praise God above ye heavenly host.” I didn’t know until recently that “host,” also used in phrases like “Lord of Hosts,” means “army.” Are we meant to fight for God, or fear God’s attacks? Are we meant to think in holiness in terms
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After a months-long intentional process of planning, recruiting, and gathering congregants to listen to one another about their core values and most pressing community issues, the church invited our local council member to hear what we discovered about our congregation and community. We had come a long way. As a
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According to a 2023 YouGov poll, 12 percent of Americans have engaged in some level of ethical non-monogamy. Around 4 to 5 percent identify as polyamorous, and this is on the rise, especially among people under 45 and those who consider themselves LGBTQ+. A separate study from 2017 conducted by
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The Broadway musical Leap of Faith tells the story of Jonas Nightingale, a con man who holds fraudulent, revival-style church services around the country and capitalizes off of people's religious fervor and subsequent financial generosity. It's all a stage show – nothing more, nothing less. Actors are paid to cast
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Much like the phenomenon of New Year’s resolutions that pack gyms, and overwhelm our garbage with “bad” food, Lent has developed a reputation for a time in the liturgical calendar of giving up something usually pertaining to food. And before that, Fat Tuesday, a moment where folk overly indulge in
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In June, we moved to San Diego, and I stepped away from being a pastor. I’ve still built connections with clergy, and a recent meeting with one pastor stuck out. We talked about following up, and he said, “Reach back out in January.” It was December 1. Caught off guard
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In a multitude of faith traditions, the body is seen as bearing the mark and the image of the Divine. And as more and more legislation is aimed at the control over our bodies and our autonomy, it is crucial that faith communities speak up and act out in solidarity
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Auld Lang Syne literally translates to “old long since.” This poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 questions the listener to reflect upon days gone by. It seems appropriate to name that very familiar tune in light of the viral response to the resignation of Rev. Alexander Lang from church
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I was diagnosed with ADHD less than a week after graduating from seminary. The diagnosis was a kind of grace, permission to forgive myself for what I’d thought were moral failures. That’s why my room and desk were a perpetual mess. That’s why I’d started writing my forty-page thesis three
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Our church is thriving at nearly 200 members. We have a talented youth ministries director, a fun and inspiring, multiage Sunday School class during worship, snappy contemporary praise music once a month, a food pantry, and a weeknight dinner church for young children and their families. It’s a transformative community,
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