Pastoral Undertaking: A Case for Prearranging Funerals
At one of our church member's funeral, we gathered in Christ’s name to proclaim his resurrection as well as hers. Yet something seemed to be missing from this service of worship. This woman had dialogued at length with her own death, and we had heard only part of the conversation.
November 19, 2010
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1 min read
Let Them Hear: Why Not Get Your Church Looped?
Most parishioners with hearing loss choose not to suffer the hassle and embarrassment of special receivers and headsets. Happily, there’s a better alternative—the broadcast of personalized sound directly through hearing aids.
November 19, 2010
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1 min read
The Gracious Gift of Hospitality in 91ÁÔÆæ - Cindy Holtrop
What does the ministry of hospitality look like in our congregations and in our worship services? This article dives into the correlation between worship and hospitality.
November 8, 2010
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6 min read
Prayer for the Darfuri
Loving God, we cry out to you on behalf of the people of the Darfur region.
October 21, 2010
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1 min read
Coop's Column - Belonging
Lonesomeness, that bleak and desperate feeling of abandonment and forsakenness, is the worst—the absolute worst—that can overtake any human being.
October 19, 2010
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4 min read
Coop's Column - Simply Fellow Strugglers
My years as chaplain among college students have convinced me that many young people suffer from what I call the "immortality virus": "Death-accidents, illness, and weakness, too-can, and sometimes do, happen to others. But it won't -read: cannot- happen to me." Or so they foolishly imagine.
August 16, 2010
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2 min read
Coop's Column - There I Have Pledged to Set My Foot, Too
"Being alive is very difficult. Human beings are very complicated. I know. I've spent my whole life being one, and I still can't totally figure it out." So commented one elderly gentleman as he looked back over the seemingly haphazard trajectory of his life's course of events.
July 26, 2010
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3 min read
Singing the Psalms Against a Backdrop of Persecution: A View from Pakistan
Find out how the psalms bring hope to suffering Christians in Pakistan and how the psalms can challenge theologians, poets, and musicians around the world to strengthen faith, ministry, and worship.
Tending the Heart: Soul Care for 91ÁÔÆæ Leaders
It is all too easy for worship leaders--preachers and musicians alike-to--slip into "mere professionalism." When that happens, we settle into dull habit, holy things no longer stir our soul, and God becomes distant and even abstract? This session examined that spiritual danger and suggested some practices to "guard our souls."
March 22, 2010
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56 min listen
Forgotten Ones: 91ÁÔÆæ and Pastoral Care
Many people have a vision for pastoral care that takes place in homes, hospitals, and institutions, often in times of crisis. But the prime place for pastoral care is in the community gathered for worship, when all who are able gather under the care of the Good Shepherd, and those who cannot attend are still remembered and named.
March 17, 2010
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46 min listen
Music and 91ÁÔÆæ Help Heal Northern Ireland
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is using music and worship to overcome the legacy of "the Trouble" in Northern Ireland. You can apply their insights to political and other differences that divide Christians in your context. A feature story exploring the role of music and worship in healing.
June 19, 2009
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12 min read
Justice and Suffering in 91ÁÔÆæ Centered on God
Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, explains why confessing that Jesus is Lord applies to the economy and earth. As the Accra Confession affirms, God calls for just relationships with all creation--so our worship should reflect that faith stance. A feature story exploring Justice and Suffering in 91ÁÔÆæ centered on God.
June 1, 2009
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12 min read
