Posts by Betsy Schwarzentraub
Tolkien, Those Hobbits, and A Lot More
“God is the Lord of angels, and of [people]—and of elves. Legend and history have met and fused,” wrote J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings fantasy series. Each time I read from them, I see more connections with our modern-day world. – March 25th is National Tolkien Reading…
Read MoreLeslie Weatherhead, Inviting Christian Agnostics
Leslie Weatherhead, whose birthday is Oct. 14th, is another unofficial saint of mine. An English theologian in the liberal Protestant tradition, he was right up my alley.His book The Will of God changed my understanding of how God allows free will and works with us when we choose wrong. “God’s circumstantial will” can work with…
Read MoreFlesh and Blood Saints
“Saints” are not bloodless figures in stained glass windows. They’re real people in the past or present who have encouraged our personal faith. This weekend Christians are celebrating the saints in our lives. November first is “All Saints Day” for Protestants and November second “All Souls Day” for Roman Catholics: days to thank God for…
Read MoreAuthor Madeleine L’Engle
Author Madeleine L’Engle’s birthday is Nov. 29th. She was a vibrant writer and a strong person of faith, seen in both her fiction and nonfiction. A Wrinkle in Time and the rest of her science fiction books affirm children, their willingness to care, learn, and risk their lives for one another. Her nonfiction gives even…
Read MoreRabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
“Radical amazement”—Rabbi Abraham Heschel may have coined that term. January first is his birthday. He was an incredible Bible scholar and theologian whom I first met through my seminary studies. Here’s his basic response to life and to God: Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement… Get up in the morning and…
Read MoreAdvent: The O Antiphons
One tradition of Advent, the four weeks before Christmas Day, has long held a particular mystique for me. It’s called the “O Antiphons.” “Antiphons” are short prayers that are chanted, said, or sung. Ever since the 8th Century CE, Roman Christian brothers and sisters in the Religious Orders (monks and nuns) have said this special…
Read MoreAdvent: The Song of Time
Time can look linear for us, but not for God. Living in the Western half of the globe, I grew up assuming that time flows forward from past to present to future. But especially in the past five years or so, I’ve immersed myself in time as a circle—the continuous circle of the ancient Christian…
Read MoreHome Communion Elk Grove United Methodist Church
GREETING (responsively) The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you And also with you. The risen Christ is with us. Praise the Lord! OPENING PRAYER (all) Almighty and everlasting God, in whom we live and move and have our being, you created us for yourself, So that our hearts are restless until they…
Read MoreLeading Worship evaluation sheet
Response to “Leading Worship” course November, 2024 Name: Local Church: 1. What I most appreciated (or) found most meaningful was: 2 What I’d like to say to Betsy Schwarzentraub as teacher: 3. What I’d like to tell others about Betsy’s book, Tossed In Time Expanded Edition: 4. After participating in this planning retreat, I’d like…
Read MoreThe Understory
I was moved by Rebecca Janzen’s article, “Healing from the ground up,” in the Nov. ’24 issue of The Christian Century. In it she reviews a new book called The Understory: An Invitation to Rootedness and Resilience from the Forest Floor. In The Understory the author, Lore Ferguson Wilbert, moves back and forth between personal…
Read MoreAdvent Devotion Based on John 1:1-5
“In the beginning,” John says—the very beginning, as “when God began to create” in Genesis chapter one, verse one. So here is a new genesis: God’s speaking the Word of Love incarnate, in the One we would come to know in human history as Jesus of Nazareth. But not only Him. God’s love is embodied…
Read MoreHanging of the Greens: Their Origin and Meaning
Excerpts from an article by Tracy L. Meyers The Hanging of the Greens occurs annually at the start of Advent* and is a multisensory communal event. . . . ADVENT = a time of preparation for Christmas and preparing ourselves for a new year living in the presence of God through our relationship with his…
Read MoreElectronic Resources for Advent & Lent Planning Retreat 9/2024
In addition to print book, Tossed in Time Expanded Edition: Steering by the Christian Seasons (includes season themes, questions, and activities) For the Christian Year 1. Dr. Marcia McFee, worship consultant: Worship Design Studio Partnership with the California-Nevada Annual Conference: You Tube uploads from Marcia McFee (317 of them!): https://www.youtube.com/@marciamcfee5248 including The Inn Advent Worship…
Read MoreFlipping Expectations thread for Lent, Year C
1st Sun. 3/9/2025 God is our Refuge. Don’t put God to the test. Week: Testing God Luke 4:1-13 – Jesus tested by devil: We don’t live by bread alone; Worship only God; Don’t put God to the test. Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 – God my refuge, fortress, and dwelling place. God rescues those who know God’s…
Read MoreThe Technology of Time
“From Scrolls to Scrolling” is a fascinating article about the “technology” of Judaism. Ever since the COVID pandemic, I’ve been intrigued by the Christian worship seasons and the reassuring framework they give to help us steer our way through time, so this piece in the latest issue of The Plough immediately caught my eye. J.…
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