That’s what church should be. A daily exercise in leadership development. The story of our faith in Scripture lays out a myriad of prophets, common folk getting things done, a community of people following Jesus and sharing the good news, scrappy early churches. We need people with the capacity to show up after their day (or night) jobs and be leaders. Our faith literally depends upon it.
Let me suggest an alternative telling of the covenant peoples’ story for today. We are not in exile in Babylon any more. We left years ago and didn’t notice. And we’re unsure about how to make our way home.
https://next.myworshiptimes31.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2019/09/featured-home-sign.jpg200398Linda Kurtz/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2016/01/NEXT-Logo-FINAL-Horizontal_lato-1030x229.pngLinda Kurtz2019-09-18 15:37:032019-09-18 15:45:13Re-post: Free to Journey Towards Home
Today’s most popular contemporary myths and stories centering around power, and the right use vs. the abuse of power, mirror a similar theology of power presented in scripture.
https://next.myworshiptimes31.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2018/04/featured-harry-potter.jpg200398Linda Kurtz/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2016/01/NEXT-Logo-FINAL-Horizontal_lato-1030x229.pngLinda Kurtz2019-09-12 05:50:252019-09-18 15:45:32Re-post: A Theology of Power
It is my experience that whenever things go wrong, people frequently start looking for causes. They start looking for something to blame in order to cut the source of decline from their midst. But what if there is no one thing, or even no one, to blame?
https://next.myworshiptimes31.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2019/09/featured-st-matthews.jpg200398Linda Kurtz/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2016/01/NEXT-Logo-FINAL-Horizontal_lato-1030x229.pngLinda Kurtz2019-09-10 21:48:582019-09-18 15:45:49Re-post: The Challenge and Opportunity of Timely Adaptations
Over the generations, prayer has shaped their common life together. To become part of this congregation means that you are committing to praying for the community and, perhaps even more difficult for some, you are willing to be prayed for.
Giving ourselves permission and invitation to ponder, we realized that as captivating as our originally conceived and fashioned VBS had been, it too had become a reliable, nearly institutionalized model. We began to ask ourselves the big wondering questions of how we could best use our time and energies both to strengthen the bonds within our church and to serve God and the community.
https://next.myworshiptimes31.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2016/05/featured-the-well.jpg200398Linda Kurtz/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2016/01/NEXT-Logo-FINAL-Horizontal_lato-1030x229.pngLinda Kurtz2019-09-05 06:58:312019-09-04 20:03:24Re-post: The Well at Burke Presbyterian Church
As the church, we often become disconnected from the God-given gifts and graces – hopes and healing – trials and truths in our past. But there are many testimonies of faithful Christians. In the West African Akan culture of Ghana, Liberia, and Benin, there is a collection of Adinkra symbols that are connected to brilliant words of deep wisdom and spirituality.
https://next.myworshiptimes31.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2019/09/featured-sankofa.jpg200398Linda Kurtz/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2016/01/NEXT-Logo-FINAL-Horizontal_lato-1030x229.pngLinda Kurtz2019-09-04 19:56:442019-09-04 19:56:44A Sankofa September to Re-Member
The good news is that one does not need to perch themselves hundreds of feet above the ground to discover stillness, simplicity, and silence. In fact, although I may have first uncovered fleeting moments of clarity in the mountains, it is through contemplative practice that I am able to let those moments continue to transform and work through me towards a unity with the divine.
Yes, Christianity and Hinduism follow separate teachings and figures, but the thought kept creeping upon my psyche… How was this any different from what I had left behind?
One pathway for integrating aspects of the contemplative movement into a congregation is to lead weekly contemplative prayer groups using the ancient Christian prayer form of lectio divina. During lectio, we hear the word of God through scripture, silently meditate, reflect, and share how we experienced God during the prayer.
https://next.myworshiptimes31.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2019/08/featured-contemplative-circle.jpg200398Linda Kurtz/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2016/01/NEXT-Logo-FINAL-Horizontal_lato-1030x229.pngLinda Kurtz2019-08-27 19:28:442019-08-27 19:28:44Bringing Contemplative Practices to the Congregation
Re-post: Leadership: Our Faith Depends on It
/0 Comments/in Contemporary Culture, Leadership /by Linda KurtzThat’s what church should be. A daily exercise in leadership development. The story of our faith in Scripture lays out a myriad of prophets, common folk getting things done, a community of people following Jesus and sharing the good news, scrappy early churches. We need people with the capacity to show up after their day (or night) jobs and be leaders. Our faith literally depends upon it.
Re-post: Free to Journey Towards Home
/0 Comments/in Contemporary Culture /by Linda KurtzLet me suggest an alternative telling of the covenant peoples’ story for today. We are not in exile in Babylon any more. We left years ago and didn’t notice. And we’re unsure about how to make our way home.
Re-post: A Theology of Power
/0 Comments/in Community Organizing, Theological Reflections /by Linda KurtzToday’s most popular contemporary myths and stories centering around power, and the right use vs. the abuse of power, mirror a similar theology of power presented in scripture.
Re-post: The Challenge and Opportunity of Timely Adaptations
/0 Comments/in Contemporary Culture, Leadership /by Linda KurtzIt is my experience that whenever things go wrong, people frequently start looking for causes. They start looking for something to blame in order to cut the source of decline from their midst. But what if there is no one thing, or even no one, to blame?
Re-Post: We’re a Praying Congregation
/0 Comments/in Contemporary Culture /by Linda KurtzOver the generations, prayer has shaped their common life together. To become part of this congregation means that you are committing to praying for the community and, perhaps even more difficult for some, you are willing to be prayed for.
Re-post: The Well at Burke Presbyterian Church
/0 Comments/in Christian Education /by Linda KurtzGiving ourselves permission and invitation to ponder, we realized that as captivating as our originally conceived and fashioned VBS had been, it too had become a reliable, nearly institutionalized model. We began to ask ourselves the big wondering questions of how we could best use our time and energies both to strengthen the bonds within our church and to serve God and the community.
A Sankofa September to Re-Member
/0 Comments/in Contemporary Culture /by Linda KurtzAs the church, we often become disconnected from the God-given gifts and graces – hopes and healing – trials and truths in our past. But there are many testimonies of faithful Christians. In the West African Akan culture of Ghana, Liberia, and Benin, there is a collection of Adinkra symbols that are connected to brilliant words of deep wisdom and spirituality.
Stillness, Silence & Simplicity
/0 Comments/in Contemporary Culture /by Linda KurtzThe good news is that one does not need to perch themselves hundreds of feet above the ground to discover stillness, simplicity, and silence. In fact, although I may have first uncovered fleeting moments of clarity in the mountains, it is through contemplative practice that I am able to let those moments continue to transform and work through me towards a unity with the divine.
New Life
/0 Comments/in Contemporary Culture /by Linda KurtzYes, Christianity and Hinduism follow separate teachings and figures, but the thought kept creeping upon my psyche… How was this any different from what I had left behind?
Bringing Contemplative Practices to the Congregation
/0 Comments/in Contemporary Culture /by Linda KurtzOne pathway for integrating aspects of the contemplative movement into a congregation is to lead weekly contemplative prayer groups using the ancient Christian prayer form of lectio divina. During lectio, we hear the word of God through scripture, silently meditate, reflect, and share how we experienced God during the prayer.