The stunning guitar instrumental album “Reverie” by the impossibly talented Rob Timbs is now available for free on the “Songs of Faith and Hope and Love” website. It’s been made to sound even better by the original engineer Chris Adams...
God-bearer

God-bearer

I was introduced to the description of Mary, mother of Jesus, as God-bearer by Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster in their brilliant book about youth ministry, The Godbearing Life. The term comes from the Greek work theotokos, and the theological notion is more...
Christmas in the Shed

Christmas in the Shed

Christmas Eve at Blackwood Uniting Church in December 2018 was an Australian-themed nativity called “Christmas in the Shed,” named after an album and songbook by the same name compiled by Adelaide singer-songwriter Leigh Newton. Leigh was our special guest...
Pentecost Peace Cranes

Pentecost Peace Cranes

Here’s a repost from my old blog of the wonderful Pentecost celebration at Blackwood UC in 2018. This is referenced in my book Deeper Water. Last year’s Pentecost Service involved the congregation in making and hanging about 1200 paper birds (representing...
Building Faith Brick by Brick

Building Faith Brick by Brick

Over a decade ago, Emily Slichter Given began experimenting with Lego to explore Bible stories with children. As former Director of Children and Family Ministry in an Episcopal church in the US, Emily developed these programs developed several years. They are...