Falling in love with scripture | Reimagining God's social kin-dom

How will we respond to the demands of reading scripture? Falling in love with scripture by Judy Fentress-Williams   Language is complicated. Words can mean more than one thing, and this passage from a book about poetry informs my students that the words of scripture not only come a long way to find us but, like a poem, must be read with attention. Poetry does not yield meaning easily, and it doesn’t promise to make sense. In my not so humble opinion, readers of the Bible would be better off if they approached scripture like poetry. Read here

How do we participate in the coming of God’s kingdom? Reimagining God's social kin-dom by Julianne Snape   “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name….” Sitting quietly, I listen to the Lord’s Prayer lifted by the congregation’s voice, in all its varying tones and tenures. With my eyes closed and breathing deeply, I feel like I am sitting at the threshold of something vast and mysterious, like the ocean’s shoreline. Read here

What does choosing moral consistency and basic integrity require of us? Progressive United Methodists cannot have it both ways by John Lomperis   Traditionalist United Methodists and genuine moderates now wonder if the rapidly changing UMC will have any place for them—other than perhaps as second-class citizens, begrudgingly tolerated as long as they pay apportionments and stay silent. Read here

Genuine conversion, the witnessing guide, and the sermon for this Sunday Connecting worship with the season this Sunday

Preparing to worship with kids on the Fourth Sunday in Lent