Posts by Betsy Schwarzentraub
Epiphany: The Light of Christ
The worship season of Epiphany begins on January 6, just after the twelve days of Christmas. In the Western world, these are the darkest days of the year, a natural time to celebrate light. The name “Epiphany” comes from the Greek verb “to bring to light” or “to cause to appear.” Light is the main…
Read MoreWorship in Pandemic Times
We’ve all been hit with unprecedented challenges in the pandemic isolation these past two years. What has it been like for those who lead our common worship, seeking to hold us together as worshiping communities? What have they learned from their experiences? “We Are Not Alone” is an excellent article that seeks to answer these…
Read MoreWhat is Prayer?
A major question for many people is not the how of prayer, but the what. In their minds, some people may connect prayer with memorized lines they were taught in childhood, or a thing religious leaders said in church worship. But what exactly is prayer? The answer to this question is not the same for…
Read MoreFamily Activities for Lent
Of all the worship seasons in the Christian Year, the forty days of Lent, just before Easter, can be the hardest to understand, especially for young children. Adults can have a tough time with it, too. Most often it’s explained as a time of confession, self-denial, and preparation for receiving Jesus’ gift of his life…
Read MoreSteering by Each Sunday
A sign I see every week in our community center says, “The best place to be is together.” Every time I see it, I’m reminded that where we gather isn’t important: it’s the fact that we can gather at all. That sense of being together was what I and millions of others have missed these…
Read MoreLent in a New Key
Even those who have never been in a church probably have heard the same old song about Lent, as if it’s a time to give up something you love to show you’re serious about this “faith thing.” Perhaps it’s a time to give up a bad habit, to prove that you can white-knuckle the lack…
Read MoreMore Questions for Worship Seasons
Related to Tossed In Time by Betsy Schwarzentraub Advent 1. Looking back, when have I waited for a fulfilling event with positive expectations? What aspect of my current spiritual life or worship life do I want to strengthen with that same sense of excitement and joy? 2. What activities have I allowed to crowd out…
Read MoreDimensions of Holistic Stewardship
Stewardship is whatever we do by our actions with all that God has entrusted to us. For Example: Our Common Talents and Purpose – Love God with all your mind, heart, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as [you love] yourself (Mark 12:30-31) Heart: the direction in which my life leans; our passion(s) for…
Read MoreEpiphany: Transfiguration Sunday
“Fear not.” Modern Bibles often say, “Do not be afraid.” Have you noticed how many times those phrases are in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Or in the Bible altogether? Many times they are the first words spoken by angels. Several times they are said by Jesus. The only reason to say,…
Read MoreCounting the Hours
It’s no wonder that so many people have found themselves unable to get a normal night’s sleep for months on end. For many of us, counting sheep just doesn’t do it anymore. For even the most well-adjusted folks among us, the usual stress of daily life has amplified exponentially by pandemic uncertainties. What used to…
Read MoreWays We Deal With Time
The Mystery of Time
“Time on my hands” may come to mind when we have a prolonged illness, are in virus isolation, or struggle with stuttered social re-openings. Those days can take on the gray smear of sameness. What a contrast it is from the old energetic days, when there didn’t seem to be enough time to get everything…
Read MoreThe Pattern Prayer
“I’ll pray for you,” people often say. But what do they mean by that? What is prayer, anyway? Prayer is a common term, but any room even of like-minded folks picture it in scores of different ways. Little children may imagine saying sentences out loud to an Old Man in the sky; older adults may…
Read MoreLent: Spring Cleaning for the Soul
People in this country’s Snow Belt## know the importance of spring cleaning when they can throw open their windows and invite fresh air in after the enclosed months imposed by winter cold. These days, with extreme weather changes and COVID concerns, many more of us can identify, after feeling locked in our stuffy homes. The…
Read MoreEpiphany: Seeing the Light
Have you ever had an “aha” moment when an issue suddenly becomes clear? All the details fall in line and the pattern finally makes sense. It’s hard to explain but a common experience. Sometimes people call it an “epiphany:” a Greek word that means “manifestation,” the appearance of a divine being, or a sudden intuitive…
Read More