Community

Last night I went to a movie. I don’t usually go to movies because I get busy and I don’t like to take that much time out of my day or night to do something unproductive like sitting in a theater. But it was my daughter’s idea and she can talk me into a lot…

Last Sunday I attended First Presbyterian Church’s screening of the film “Triggered: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence.” The film was followed by a panel discussion with Rev. Dr. Kate Wiebe, Founder of Institute for Collective Trauma and Growth; Dr. Robert Kanard, Chief of Pediatric Surgery at Cottage Hospital, pediatric trauma surgeon; Suzanne Grimmesey, Santa…

Two weeks ago I wrote about young people and the church, specifically about their (seeming) absence. Now, I want to focus on older adults and the church. The average age of mainline denominational churches is getting older. This is often referred to as the “graying of the church,” and it has some people feeling a…

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; Psalm 22:14           O Lord, have mercy! My hands have fallen numb My feet drag in the dirt. This sorrow is too heavy to bear. I cannot find words…

Young people are absent from the church. That is a broad enough statement that it is both true and untrue. It is true insofar as statistics show a decline (Barna Group estimates that only 9% of Gen Z is engaged in church). But it is untrue that young people are not interested in the church…