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Ruth Everhart

Author, Pastor, Speaker

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Working with Holidays in Church

December 29, 2016

Intentions for a New Year

As each old year draws to a close, I like to choose a word or phrase that captures my intention for the new year. How do I intend to live? For many years I chose a single word -- Simplicity or Joy or Mindfulness -- something that sounds very unassailable on paper! But it didn't usually have much … [Read more...] about Intentions for a New Year

New Years choosing an intention for a new year,  make it fun,  new year goal setting

September 12, 2016

In Honor of 9/11: The Flight 93 Memorial

My husband I frequently drive between the midwest (our parents live in Michigan/Ohio) and the east coast (we live in Virginia). For years we've been promising ourselves we'd stop along the way in Shanksville, Pennsylvania at the Flight 93 Memorial. But by the time we get close we are invariably … [Read more...] about In Honor of 9/11: The Flight 93 Memorial

9/11 September 11, 2001 9/11,  Flight 93,  Shanksville PA,  The Flight 93 Memorial

May 25, 2015

Honor Flight: a WW II Veteran Reflects

The following account was written by my father, Nicholas J. Huizenga, a World War II veteran. He describes a Talons Out Honor Flight he took on May 16, 2015, along with a plane load of other WWII veterans.  Memorial Day, May 25, 2015. Nine days ago I joined 105 veterans of World War ll on a … [Read more...] about Honor Flight: a WW II Veteran Reflects

Memorial Day,  My Dad, Nicholas J. Huizenga full itinerary of Talons Out Honor Flight by a WWII Veteran

inequities facing women

April 29, 2014

Momma Don’t Want No Stinkin’ Card

I wrote this post about the inequities facing women in 2014. Unfortunately, it's all still true! You'll have to forgive me if I'm cranky about Mothers Day. Once again marketers will drape the world in pink, but I'm not feeling it. One Reason I'm Cranky Mothers Day is another working Sunday -- plus a … [Read more...] about Momma Don’t Want No Stinkin’ Card

Mothers Day,  Published in Christian Century inequities facing women

December 29, 2013

Ring a Bell Sunday, to Ring Out the Old Year

Today was the first Sunday after Christmas. I preached at a friend's church because he was traveling. At that?church, it's a tradition to ring bells to accompany the hymn-singing on the final Sunday of the year. He had warned me, so I brought along an old school bell that sits on the shelf in my … [Read more...] about Ring a Bell Sunday, to Ring Out the Old Year

New Years A post-Christmas tradition in some congregations,  Ring a Bell Sunday.

mothers day in church

May 13, 2013

Mothers Day & Church

Mothers Day is not a liturgical holiday, but many congregations tend to treat it like one. After all, it falls on a Sunday. Addressing the Pitfalls of Mothers Day in Church There's a negative side to celebrating Mothers Day in church. Plenty of women don't find their hearts lifted by the sight of … [Read more...] about Mothers Day & Church

Mothers Day church,  love,  Mothers Day,  worship

December 27, 2012

Cleaning the Slate at the New Year

Yesterday I spent a few hours getting ready for the new year. There are some quick and easy ways I like to "clean the slate": 1) I quickly organized the clothes in my closet by grouping like items together (church clothes, writing clothes, workout clothes). It helped me see whether I need to buy … [Read more...] about Cleaning the Slate at the New Year

New Years a dream can guide our decisions,  clean out a closet for the new year,  clean the slate for the new year,  purge a few books to greet the new year

waving flag of united states of america

May 28, 2012

Memorable Memorial Day at Wolf Trap

On Memorial Day weekend we went to Wolf Trap National Park -- to have a picnic, hear the President's Own Marine Band, and enjoy fireworks. It's a free event and we love to go. The gates open at 6:30 and we arrived by 6:40. Even so, the place was packed. We ended up spreading our picnic blanket on … [Read more...] about Memorable Memorial Day at Wolf Trap

Memorial Day Memorial Day in Washington DC

November 2, 2008

All Saints Day

We had fun in worship today, thinking about saints.  My sermon title was Heroes? I showed a variety of images -- can you guess how each one fit? Spiderman,  St. Francis of Assisi,  Martin Luther King, Jr.,  X-Men,  Michael Phelps,  Heroes (the TV show), Mother … [Read more...] about All Saints Day

All Saints Day All Saints Day,  are saints and heroes similar,  heroes,  Poolesville Presbyterian Church

February 15, 2008

In Praise of Valentines Day

I know that a lot of people hate Valentine's Day. ?And I understand that it's too much pressure and too commercialized and they jack up the prices on flowers and you can't get a reservation. ?All that. But at the gym yesterday, women were talking about how V-day is "just for the kids" with their … [Read more...] about In Praise of Valentines Day

Valentines Day incarnation,  love,  sexual love,  Valentine's Day

January 2, 2008

Singing Harmonia Sacra to Greet the New Year

I spent New Year's Night singing hymns in a church, unaccompanied, with 300 or so other people. ?The crowd was diverse in age, but entirely white in skin color. Everyone was dressed very nicely in what I called "church clothes" growing up. I've sung with Old Order Mennonites before, it's a memorable … [Read more...] about Singing Harmonia Sacra to Greet the New Year

Lyrics & Music,  New Years a New Year hymn sing,  singing Harmonia Sacra unaccompanied with Mennonites

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Recent Blogposts:
  • NYC Weekend: Celebrating a Milestone Birthday
  • Greetings to the Rock Creek Presbyterian Church (Tallula, IL) on their 200th Anniversary!
  • Lady Gaga in Concert, DC Aug 2022
  • Embassy Tour 2022 — European Union
  • Embassy Tour in DC, May 2022