Worship
Benedict of Nursia and his Rule
I didn’t grow up with official “saints,” but if I had, St. Benedict of Nursia (in Italy) would be one on my list. For those Christian denominations that do have saints, July 11th is the day to commemorate him. He lived about 480 to 550 C.E., when much of Roman society was breaking down. He…
Read MoreAnnual Conference prepares for the future
I found many highlights at our Annual Conference Session this year, when ministers and lay leaders of all our United Methodist churches in CA-NV gathered for worship, visioning, and planning for this year ahead. Bishop Sandy’s sermons were empowering, inspiring, and on the mark as our Christian call to action in this political world. We…
Read MoreInternational Jewish-Christian Bible Week
Way back in 1941, then-U.S.-President Franklin D. Roosevelt began a National Bible Week, which was traditionally observed during the week of Thanksgiving. Ever since my earliest years of pastoring (well after 1941), I enjoyed celebrating it, and invited church members to read for devotions or study during that week in particular, to remind us of…
Read MoreEvelyn Underhill and the Heart’s Desire
One unofficial saint of mine, whom I hope helps shape my life, is Evelyn Underhill, a prominent Christian mystic. The marker on her grave in London says, “Christian – Scholar – Spiritual Guide.” She taught Anglican clergy about the importance of contemplative prayer, and was the first woman to lecture in theology at the University of…
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 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 MoreNourishing Our Souls
“Nourishing Our Souls” was the name of a retreat I attended recently. It was led by colleague and friend Rev. Maggie McNaught. She’s a therapist, spiritual director, and minister, but don’t let that fool you. She doesn’t live inside a conventional religious box. She’s always reaching out for the Spirit, beyond the usual parameters. I…
Read MoreAnother Look at the Book of Job
Who knew that reading the Book of Job would be about so much more than just dealing with unfair suffering – as if that weren’t enough! Chapter by chapter, the Book breaks down our conventional wisdom that denies the suffering of innocents. Reading it is not for the faint of heart! But as I read…
Read MoreOverusing God?
Overusing God? What could that mean? A momentary struggle with that phrase led me to wonder and to worship. I learned a long time back that our language not only reflects our thoughts, but also shapes them. For example, if we think “friend” as our default language, we’ll begin with a positive attitude toward another…
Read MoreResurrection and Wild Waves
Okay, I admit it: ever since COVID and writing my book Tossed in Time, I’ve been partial to Matthew’s story of Jesus walking on the stormy water – and Peter’s crazy request to walk on the wild waves with him! (Matthew 14: 22-33) A fisherman by trade, Peter clearly knew those nighttime storms could mean…
Read MoreDisciples and Disciplines
I never was a fan of the word “discipline.” It sounds too much like “punishment” to me. Not that my parents disciplined me very much. But the term used to leave a bad taste in my mouth, nevertheless. But not any longer. Actually, “discipline” comes from the word for “disciple.” Ah, that makes a huge…
Read MoreWorship’s Deep Water
On a scorching day, it’s amazing how refreshing a simple glass of cold water can be. I have felt this in the summer after a long walk, a hike, or a workout, when the heat seems to suck the life out of my parched mouth. That’s how it tasted this past Saturday when I co-taught…
Read MoreFlow
There are times when doing flows into being. Like when a toddler carefully puts the final block on a toy tower he has built. It can happen when an instrumental musician masters an intricate musical passage. Or when a runner completes her most memorable race, her leg muscles burning and lungs nearly exploding, in what…
Read MorePracticing God’s Presence
In the busi-ness of your responsibilities and the busy-ness of life, how do you stay in touch with God? Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” But how do we open up to such stillness within? I recognize this stillness in certain moments, when the illusion of “ordinary” days is drawn…
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