Tag: Poolesville Presbyterian Church
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A Beginning: A Church Transforming
Fall is the time of beginning, with its backpacks still unsmudged, its pages still unwritten, its eraser-heads still pristine. A favorite time of the year, even before the leaves fall so we can scuff through them down the sidewalk. Soon there will be marks of all kinds, on the pages and notebooks of this season…
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Boundary Lines: Is Part-time Ministry Possible?
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places. (Psalm 16:6) When people hear that I work two-thirds time as a solo pastor, they usually smile knowingly and say, church work is never part-time. Like most truisms, that one has a grain of truth but also perpetuates a myth. If part-time work were not…
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What Made Me Happy Today at Church
Driving up, the church property looked great after yesterday’s Super Saturday, which accomplished major hedge trimming, gardening, and floor cleaning. The property looks like somebody loves it! Two families who are on vacation each left an older teen at home. ?Those kids came to church today. ?On their own. A child saw me carry the…
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Systems Theory Goes to Church
Today six of the leaders at my church, and I, attended an all-day “Transformation Training” event (sponsored by National Capital Presbytery). I am so impressed with each of the six of them (100% participation!) for their dedication and their gifts for ministry. I’m also impressed with them as a group, the lighthearted way they interact,…
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Using Visuals in Church: Stained Glass of the Day
You know you’ve had a successful vacation when you’re honestly glad to be back at work. I felt very fortunate to step into the pulpit today and say Welcome to worship. I’m really paying attention to how I use images in church, so let me record what I did. Lately I’m working with the idea…
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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 Teresa, Senator McCain, St. Jerome, Dorothy Day, Nelson Mandela, Senator Obama,…