September 14, 2021
by Henry Miller
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Category:
The Bare Branch: On Seeing, The Bare Branch: On Seeing
The first poem I ever wrote didn’t rhyme. In fact, I didn’t even write it down. One day, when I was about three years old, my mom was pushing me on a swing and I said to her:
When I swing,
my shadow plays tag with me.
Apparently she thought that was a very profound thing for me to say at that age, because she has told me that story several times since I became a...
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July 29, 2021
by Catherine Miller
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Category:
Arts and Ministry
The world says that success is found in writing chart-topping songs, selling paintings for tens of thousands of dollars, working for large churches, achieving a generous salary, or directing a large choir. The life of Christ says something different. Jesus lived in the wilderness with a small group of close friends. He didn’t raise up an army like many thought he would. ...
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July 1, 2021
by Catherine Miller
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Category:
Arts and Ministry
My church hired me as a "worship leader / artist-in-residence" in 2014. The artist-in-residence part of my job was very loosely defined, and we were basically making it up as we went along. But one of the first ideas that stuck was when my pastor asked me to write some form of psalm refrain every week, following the lectionary...I had a previous interest in writing psalm s...
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May 27, 2021
by Ralph Heim
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Category:
The Bare Branch: On Seeing, Arts and Ministry
My years in ocean freight transportation were an exciting time in an expanding industry that produced many “firsts.” The concept of just-in-time logistics, or “J.I.T.” as it came to be known, was one of them. It was all about having a better plan for bringing the right thing to the right place at the right time.
“J.I.T.” is a good characterization for my l...
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April 29, 2021
by Johana-Marie Williams
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Category:
Arts and Ministry, Arts and Ministry
The word that comes to mind while conversing with comic book artist Daniel Hooker about art and faith is perseverance. Daniel describes his own personality as “obnoxiously persistent.” He remarks that the Lord has given him an immense amount of patience that lets him wait and persevere indefinitely, sometimes even to a fault. But in Daniel’s practice as an artist and...
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March 31, 2021
by The Rev. Canon Taylor Bodoh
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Category:
Ministry Blog
The New Testament sometimes speaks of ministry as being like an architectural project. In particular, the Apostle Paul speaks of building God’s temple, with some laying the foundation and others building; but either way, faithfulness requires that “each one should build with care” (1 Corinthians 3:10). The analogy works well for both evangelism and discipleship; for...
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March 31, 2021
by Catherine Miller
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Category:
Arts and Ministry, Arts and Ministry
Choreographer Dana Standridge said she can’t imagine a time in her life when she didn’t dance. “This is how God has wired me,” she said. “I feel the best when I’ve put on music and move to it. A good waltz or three-four beat and I’m happy as can be.” Dancing is associated with joy in the Bible: Miriam danced and sang after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea...
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February 25, 2021
by The Rev. Canon Christopher Klukas
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Category:
Ministry Blog
The word “curate,” in its original sense, was a synonym for the word priest. It stems from the idea that parish clergy are charged with the “cure” (or care) of souls. In recent years the term has been applied more specifically to newly ordained priests serving as assistants to an experienced rector. Curacies provide experience and on-the-job practical training to e...
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February 25, 2021
by Catherine Miller
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Category:
Arts and Ministry
Crafting songs for worship is a process of inspiration, collaboration, and cultivation as the songwriter edits their ideas in community. But sometimes, an artist may be moved by the Holy Spirit to bring a prophetic word of encouragement to build up the Church. When the words come to a songwriter, they can come out as sung rhymes. Kim Allen first discovered her gift as she ...
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February 25, 2021
by Jonathan Orcel
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Category:
Testimony Project
If you follow Jesus, you have a story to share! Back in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, the Lord put it on my heart to collect stories from my fellow church members to learn more about each other, and also to see more widely who God is. Testimonies have the power to show that God is not only real but is always active in this world, even when we cannot see it. Where ...
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