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Considering the “Joseph question” and the “Jonah question” can help congregations overcome fear of talking about race, culture, and how God might be calling them to change
Seeing violence and racism up close is ugly. Two Presbyterians discuss how to help congregations prepare for and respond to divisive events.
Churches often shy away from conversations about white supremacy or which lives matter. A Presbyterian elder and a worship leader explain how to pastorally move toward effective reconciliation ministry.
In this session, the panelists discussed the structure of the lectionary system and the advantages and challenges of its use.
Introducing the worship song “Come, Holy Ghost / Be Not Afraid” by Bruce Benedict and Ray Mills.
Introducing the worship song “Come, Holy Ghost / Be Not Afraid” by Bruce Benedict and Ray Mills.
Jesus’s example of laying down his life for others inspired Martin Luther King Jr. and the U.S. civil rights movement. This theology of how to engage undeserved suffering can help congregations deal with pain.
Worshiping outdoors and bringing nature into worship helped one church experience more connections between God’s creation, worship, and neighbors.
What churches profess and what they do sometimes clash. Sharing stories, sitting with those who suffer, praying, and listening in silence for God can help churches harmonize theology and sociology.
Isaac Wardell, Director of Worship Arts at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, shares reflections from his experience shepherding their Charlottesville congregation in Sunday worship through the trauma of hatred, bigotry, and violence that took place in their small town less than one day before they gathered for worship.
This once-aging, now-thriving Lutheran congregation became more comfortable with worship changes by using visuals and stories, reading books together, and sharing over meals.
On Wednesday, August 9, 2017, before the violent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, someone broke into a church near Waco, Texas, a historically African American congregation, and vandalized the property with hateful graffiti. The pastor of the church is a student at Baylor’s Truett Seminary. At the request of Baylor President Dr. Linda Livingstone, the Office of Spiritual Life at Baylor developed this prayer guide which will be used at community-wide gatherings on Friday, August 18.
