I can’t believe my little guys are two and three already! It really is true that the days are long and the years are short. In the book, I have a birthday tradition that is fabulous and it allows children to think about others on their birthday. This birthday blessing idea, though, is one of […]
Birthday Blessing: A Simple Tradition Read More »
I’m delighted to be reviewing Katherine Willis Pershey’s new Christmas Pageant A Mary Carol written for small to medium sized congregations. I’ll get to all of the reasons I love this pageant, but first, a little about the author. Katherine Willis is Associate Minister of First Congregational Church of Western Springs, IL (A few train stops over
A Mary Carol: A Delightful Christmas Pageant by Katherine Willis Pershey Read More »
Here’s something I’ve noticed, and maybe you have too… there are some things that we don’t talk about at church. When I say church I don’t mean Northwood Presbyterian Church in San Antonio or First Baptist Church of Anytown or Hope Bible Church in Largecity… I mean church in general. Any church. Some things are
The Things We Don’t Talk About at Church… Read More »
The moms and dads that I meet carry around a lot of guilt. I include myself, first and foremost. I lost my temper. I let them watch too much TV while I worked. You don’t even want to know what I fed them for dinner. I’m not making enough money to send them to college.
Kelly Allen for Moderator www.kellyformoderator.com OK, warning… this post might be boring if you are not Presbyterian (USA). I say might because it’s also a post mostly about friendship and what it means to be a good friend, which I think applies to everyone. Every other year in the Presbyterian church we all get together and vote
On Friendship, Mentorship, and Kelly Allen for Moderator of the PCUSA Read More »
One of the obvious things I do as a pastor is pray. I often feel that my prayers are insufficient or incomplete, but I feel called to continue to do it. I lift up, every day, the needs of my congregation and the concerns they lay before me. It is an honor and a privilege.
A Prayer for San Antonio Parents and Teachers in a Time of Fear Read More »
The Saturday before Easter, my lovely congregation will be holding a little Easter Egg hunt with cupcakes, cascarones, music and laughter. Some pastors might argue this is liturgically, theologically or spiritually inappropriate. I don’t think so, and here are four reasons why. 1. The Easter date was chosen to coincide with a pagan festival… there’s
Four Reasons Why This Pastor Encourages Egg Hunts in Churches Read More »
Last Sunday we read the story of Bartimaeus who stands at the side of the road and asks Jesus for healing. “Son of David,” he cries “have mercy on me.” The crowd tries to shush him, but this makes him even more determined. (Anybody ever had that happen to you? The more you are asked
Sermon Remix: Jesus is the Son of David Read More »
I have a terrible sense of direction. What I mean is: it’s impossible to overstate how easy it is for me to get lost. I mean this in a literal sense. Without a GPS or very, very clear directions, I can lose my way to even the simplest of places, even if I’ve been there
Some musings about getting lost, finding my way and wayfinding design… Read More »
My parents always succeeded in getting me to fall for age-appropriate April Fool’s Jokes. I still remember the first one, I was very small. Five years old, maybe younger. “You have dirt on your face! Go wash it off!” I went to the mirror and looked “No I don’t!” I said to which I heard the
April Fools’ Day Conversations Read More »
