Through practice, I’ve learned to use those very moments as markers to look for God’s presence. I’ve added “found moments” to the spiritual practices I pursue, and they have become as important to my spiritual health and connection with God as planned times of prayer, silence, or reading Scripture. The difference is that I don’t put them on my schedule—I let the Holy Spirit remind me to find the time throughout my day.
News
Four Chaplains Day Commemorates Fallen Heroes
CHICAGO, IL (February 3, 2019) — Editor’s note: In 1988, Congress declared February 3 Four Chaplains Day to commemorate the sacrificial heroism of four military chaplains that enabled many men on the USAT Dorchester to survive a torpedo attack. In […]
Five for Friday: Rescue from Cave, ‘At-Risk’ Labeling, Nutty Milk
CHICAGO, IL (February 1, 2019) – Covenanters routinely share links to social media articles and videos that Covenant News Service believes may be of interest to others. Each Friday we post five of them. Following is a sample of those […]
Big Q – How do you observe Lent?
In our house we don’t usually give things up for Lent, but several years ago, my husband decided to stop driving over the speed limit for the forty days leading up to Easter. He reasoned that slowing down might give […]
Yee: Adapt Volunteer Recruiting Systems to Church Culture
DENVER, CO (January 30, 2019) – Attracting and enlisting volunteers can be a challenge in the church, but developing intentional systems can help, said Angela Yee, ECC executive director of ministry development, in her presentation on “Creating a Thriving Service-Oriented […]
Traces of Faith
I was intrigued about the idea of walking a labyrinth and had made some half-hearted online searches to find one near me. But my first encounter was much different than I had imagined. I was co-facilitating a workshop, and my partner started the day by handing out a sheet of paper with a labyrinth printed on it. We were instructed to trace our finger along the path while listening for how God might speak. To say I was skeptical is an understatement. However, I decided to keep an open mind and give it a try.
Messing with the Structures
Recently I heard a pastor describing his efforts to reach marginalized people in his community with the good news. He cited this story and made a startling statement: “Sometimes in order to get people to Jesus you have to mess with the structure.” These entrepreneurial men didn’t let propriety stand in their way! They messed, quite literally, with the structure.
Wenrich Announces Leadership, Justice Initiatives
DENVER, CO (January 23, 2019) — In his first address to a Midwinter Conference as ECC president, John Wenrich announced the creation of a new staff position to promote the development of women leaders, saying that although the denomination voted […]
A Shadow of Hope
Whenever I hear Austin Channing Brown interviewed about her book I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, one of the first questions she is asked refers to the opening line of her book: “White people can be exhausting.” It’s more than just a provocative first line—it sets the tone of the book. It’s a signal to readers that Brown is not going to dance around the truth in this space.
Midwinter Main Sessions to Be Livestreamed
DENVER, CO (January 18, 2019) – The main sessions of the Midwinter Conference will be livestreamed on the event’s website and Facebook page. The conference runs from Monday through Friday at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. All times are Mountain. […]
Five for Friday: Kosher Brillo Pads, Dissing the Enneagram, Beauty and Evolution
CHICAGO, IL (January 18, 2019) – Covenanters routinely share links to social media articles and videos that Covenant News Service believes may be of interest to others. Each Friday we post five of them. Following is a sample of those […]
Meet and Greet Survival Guide
We are called to be part of the body. We need connection. So how do I navigate the parts of church that feel in opposition to
my nature?