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A Sunday (39) in Life of a Pastor/Mother: Questions
My kids ask a lot of questions. A LOT! The 20-minute drive to school in the morning is a mixture of my baby girl’s “Why? Why? Why?” and my son’s more inquisitive and specific questions. First of all, the Why stage is the longest child development stage because it never ends. It just graduates to…
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Interactive Way to Pray in Worship Part II
There are many ways to pray. Many use lighting candles as a way to mark or symbolize their prayer. Here is another option – weaving prayers on paper through a loom. Step One: Materials: 1 1/2″ or 2″ ribbon, glue dots (better than tape), scissors You can use a table or edge of the chancel…
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A Sunday (38) in Life of a Pastor/Mother: Weddings, Baptisms, & a Baby Girl
One of the unique privileges I have experienced as a pastor/mother is baptizing my own children. There is something poignant about pouring water over your child’s head and saying “You are special. You are loved. You are chosen. You are a child of God.” It has also meant the world to me to see the…
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Interactive Way to Pray in Worship
At a presbytery-wide worship service (In the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. denomination, churches are geographically grouped into presbyteries), the theme of worship was around the concept of love. The Rabbi Judy Shanks from Temple Isaiah in Lafayette, CA, was the guest preacher. She preached a beautiful sermon that wove in verses from the song, Seasons of Love from…
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Interactive Prayer Stations on Love
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3.1) I borrowed a sermon. Yep, I said it! I borrowed a sermon . . . actually, I adapted a sermon from Rabbi Judy Shanks at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette, CA. She wove in her sermon with the musical…
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A Sunday (37) in Life of a Pastor/Mother: Blessings
For the past nine years I served at my church, I have counted my blessings, especially as they have changed and made space for me to pastor while being a mother. When my son was born, he was one of few babies born. It’s hard to believe eight years later, we have had 10 babies…
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A Journey in the Intergenerational Worship Experiment
This is a picture of this past Sunday, our first Sunday switching to an intergenerational worship format. On the floor, you see tubs of play dough, tools, cookie cutters, and mirrors. Since I was preaching on James 1.22-25, I had the kids look at their reflection in the mirror and use play dough to recreate…
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A Sunday (36) in Life of a Pastor/Mother: Death & Sex
So this past week has been quite a busy week. Not that every week isn’t busy, but this past week seemed to be quite eventful. Both personally and in ministry, it’s been a fine balance between death and well rebirth or in the case of sea monkeys – sex and lots of it. You see,…
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Children in Worship: It’s More than Having Coloring Sheets
In the first issue of PLGRM, Rev. LeAnn Watkins, rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in St. Paul, MN, shares how after numerous attempts of increasing attendance of bible studies and other church-related programs, her staff decided to cancel it all – everything during the weekdays except seasonal services. You can hear her tell her…
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A Sunday (35) in Life of a Pastor/Mother: RIP
Today was the last day that children’s sermons take up space in worship. Beginning next Sunday, worship will move to being more intergenerational. These next two months, we will experiment with music, seating layout, preaching styles, and liturgy. We will explore ways that are inviting to all ages, extroverted and introverted, cerebral and tactile, and…
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Still Waters 