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Seven Practices to Shape Your Church’s Culture

Click here to read church vision expert Will Mancini’s thoughts on seven key practices to shape church culture. These practices can be used intentionally by church leaders to help articulate and shape culture and in turn clarify vision.  (Photo by Alex Wiebe used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)

The Giving Community

Lectionary Reflection for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
July 1, 2012
This week’s epistle lesson offers an excellent chance to talk about stewardship and generosity. Read on for ideas for preaching and teaching, worship, and time with youth and children.

Love Where You Live–and Where You Worship, too!

Writing in Yes! Magazine, author Ross Chapin offers 10 suggestions for how to foster greater community and love where you live. Bloom where you are planted by incorporating Chapin’s ideas into your context–at home or at your house of worship. Click here to access Chapin’s article. (Photo by Paul Krueger used under Creative Commons License. […]

Stewardship and Green Living

Here’s a downloadable guide to Green Living (PDF format) from the PCUSA designed to “prompt individual lifestyle changes and offer resources and ideas to assist in greening our lives and sharing God’s love with the world.” Click here to download the guide. (Photo by Argonne National Laboratory used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)

Growing Season

Lectionary Reflection for the Third Sunday after Pentecost, June 17, 2012
Do you feel more like a tiny seed or a giant cedar tree? Wonder how anything can possibly grow from your paltry faith, your singular action, or your tiny congregation? The lessons this week have a hopeful word for you, so do read on. (Photo by jakeliefer used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)

One Big Hopeful Family

Second Sunday after Pentecost Lectionary Reflection
June 10, 2012
Jesus’ notion of family is a wide circle of inclusion. How is our Lord’s definition of family reflected in your community of faith? (Photo by dsearls used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)

What’s the Catch?

Lectionary Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 29, 2012
Ask and you’ll receive. Is there a catch? Of course! The whole idea behind this week’s reading from 1 John, and indeed the entire book, is that in the sacrificial love of Christ we see and experience God; in doing so we are compelled to live out that love in word and deed. (Photo by rabanito used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)

Potlucks, Comfort Food, and Faith

Third Sunday of Easter Lectionary Reflection, April 22, 2012
Comfort food and soul food calm our fears and show our love. When we come to Christ’s table, we receive the ultimate in comfort and soul food, nourishment that equips and strengthens us for mission and ministry as witnesses to the world. (Photo by UUCJ used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)

Holy Collision!

Lectionary Reflection for the Baptism of our Lord
January 8, 2012
Mark’s gospel propels us like carnival bumper cars into a holy collision of water, Word, and Spirit. Are you ready? This is no Sunday for “nicey-nice” tame imagery in the presence of the Creator who brought life from chaos and salvation from sin. (Photo by Paul Holloway used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)

Family Matters

Lectionary Reflection for Name of Jesus
January 1, 2012
Family matters both within and outside of the church. This Sunday provides an opportunity to explore our family of faith and what it means both individually and as the body of Christ gathered in a particular place and context. (Photo by Children’s Book Review used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)