My dad turned ninety last month. He is in remarkable health, a picture of fitness, playing tennis every day. Indeed, in 2014 there is a strong likelihood he will be ranked as a top five singles players nationally for his […]
Commentary
Celebrating and Preserving Biodiversity
In September, when it was still warm, I nearly stepped on a slug, four inches long, stretched out magnificently as it slid across the sidewalk— and spotted like a big cat. Who would put leopard spots on a slug? “In […]
With Homeless Guests, Our Worship Changed
EUGENE, OR (December 30, 2013) — The Register-Guard ran an article last week by author Kay Marshall Strom, a member of Valley Covenant Church. She recounts what happened earlier this month when the church hosted a warming shelter for the homeless, […]
I Wasn’t Looking When Jesus Appeared
By Cathy Norman Peterson CHICAGO, IL (December 24, 2013) – A few years ago I participated in a silent three-day retreat in early December. I was discovering new/ancient spiritual practices, and it seemed like a good way to enter into […]
Godisnowhere
What do the following letters spell? Godisnowhere. Some will say, “God is nowhere.” But the exact same sequence of letters can be read as, “God is now here.” Perspective really does matter. At the time of Mary’s conception, the reassuring […]
In-Law’s Question an Answer to Prayer Not Prayed
CHICAGO, IL (November 27, 2013) — Editor’s note: The following reflection was written by Cathy Norman Peterson, features editor for the Covenant Companion, and appears in the December issue of the magazine. It’s Advent, our season to reflect on the […]
Clearly Generous
Communication comes with no guarantees. A message sent does not necessarily equate a message received. I quip that a pastor will say to me, “How come I didn’t know about that? And by the way, quit sending me so much […]
Butterflies and Mudslides
It’s pouring outside my window— that kind of rare, steady rain that has every sign of settling in for the duration. Rainy days like this one are wonderful for calling in sick, ignoring the housework, and hunkering down with a […]
None of Us Can Reach Everyone
I arrived early to speak at Modesto Covenant Church in the central valley of California, parking a distance down the street to review my notes. I was there for the opening service of the Pacific Southwest Conference (PSWC) Annual Meeting. […]
Differing Realities
Gary Walter is president of the Evangelical Covenant Church. One challenge for a monthly column is timeliness. Given lead time, a piece might not be printed until weeks after a significant event has taken place. That delay can also be […]
Removing the Static, Hearing God’s Voice
Have you ever noticed that every month, most shelter magazines feature one or two articles about getting organized? It used to be the big January feature after the Christmas haul, but lately articles about de-cluttering appear regularly. Entire magazines are […]
Marks of a Denomination
At a recent gathering of leaders from several denominations, I was asked to talk on “what makes a denomination a denomination.” In other words, if you dropped an ounce of denomination into a spectrometer, what chemical ingredients would be revealed? […]