The introduction to this series of news reports about Synod Nyack 2012 compared Synod to a young adult, settling into positive patterns and making wise decisions. Each of the four synods I have observed demonstrated increasing maturity and unity, and these characteristics were more obvious this year. One of the reasons for the maturity and … Continue reading The battle for the church will never stop (Synod 2012)
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Alphabet soup, Psalm 25
David wrote Psalm 25 as an acrostic poem; each of its 22 verses begin with the consecutive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Since the psalm contains petition as well as declaration and repentance, it doesn't fit into one specific category. It's more like vegetable beef stew than steak and potatoes. It begins as a prayer … Continue reading Alphabet soup, Psalm 25
Autumnal Equinox 2012
Say "Autumnal Equinox" aloud. Notice the way it rolls off the tongue? "Autumnal Equinox" is a phrase I love to say. In the Northern Hemisphere, the autumnal equinox comes at 9:49 CDT today, September 22. It marks the beginning of fall and a time when day and night are equal (from the Latin words aequus "equal" and nox "night"). … Continue reading Autumnal Equinox 2012
A Month of Sundays at Reformation Heritage Books
In yesterday's post, I mentioned discovering that my soon-to-be-released A Month of Sundays: 31 Meditations on Resting in God is now up on the website of Reformation Heritage Books. Copying those links for this post, I made another discovery. The rolling ads at the top of RHB's homepage feature Little One Lost: Living with Early Infant Loss. … Continue reading A Month of Sundays at Reformation Heritage Books
The 700 Club
This post's title may remind you of a religious television program, but it actually reflects entry into what I view as the Committed Bloggers Club with this, my 700th post on Ascribelog. That is indeed a cause for celebration! My advent into the blogosphere began on June 20, 2005, so I've averaged about 100 posts annually … Continue reading The 700 Club
Keeping the website accurate and up-to-date
Gary Fisher was reappointed as the URCNA webmaster. The Website Oversight Committee was asked to develop documents detailing his duties as well as guidelines for posting material to the site. The consistory of Grace URC in Waupun will continue to oversee the Website Oversight Committee until the next synod. Synod reminded the churches to update … Continue reading Keeping the website accurate and up-to-date
Sovereign Shepherd, Psalm 24
The previous two meditations here at Ascribelog have looked at how Psalm 22 portrays Christ as the suffering Shepherd, and how Psalm 23 shows him as the all-sufficient Shepherd. Today we'll explore Psalm 24 and its depiction of the sovereign Shepherd. Psalm 24 begins by acknowledging God as creator and sovereign ruler over all aspects … Continue reading Sovereign Shepherd, Psalm 24
Charles Martin on getting published
Charles Martin has written some well-crafted novels depicting both beauty and pain. My favorite of his first several books is When Crickets Cry: A Novel of the Heart, which I placed in our church library. Another one I enjoyed was Where the River Ends, which I reviewed here. I look forward to reading his newer novels: The Mountain Between Us, … Continue reading Charles Martin on getting published
Thin skin (Vacation saga 2)
At Yellowstone, the earth's skin is thin. Parked atop a massive volcano, the Park's thermal features include colorful pools, spouting geysers, and bubbling mud pots. Visitors can explore the Park's over 2 million acres via the 144-miles figure eight-shaped Grand Loop, stopping to hike any of the more than 1,100 miles of trails. In most … Continue reading Thin skin (Vacation saga 2)
The buck stops at the border
A federation with churches in two countries—Canada and the United States—faces the problem of money flow. In this case the flow of money from north to south, from Canada to the U.S., is becoming increasingly clogged, and the mechanism in place to meet the challenge is no longer sufficient. The Joint Venture Agreement (JCA) of … Continue reading The buck stops at the border
Glenda Faye Mathes 