Posts by Rev. Paul Calvin (Page 3)
Advent Practices
Advent: Awaiting the Light By E.R. I was asked to share about my Advent practices at our church’s soup supper on Nov. 12, as we all begin preparing the way for the Advent season. The content I shared during that time follows below, along with a list of resources that Haley and I drew together. We hope these ideas might inspire you as you prepare your own homes and families for the season. One of the things that I particularly…
Faithful Presence: Together For Good
By Sonia Keillor The past few months brought our family an opportunity to step out in faith, trusting that where we were lacking, God would provide. Last May, we began the process of becoming a host family for an organization called Safe Families, which provides care for vulnerable children whose mothers often have no safe person to turn to in a crisis. Our process of deciding to host children took a few months, starting in January. By mid-spring we had…
Children’s Books for Lent
by Haley Scharf Today’s post on Redeemer Journal is by Haley Scharf, who in the past has blogged about theological literature for children at aslanslibrary.wordpress.com. Individual reviews of most of the books she mentions below can be found there. One of the ways my children have become familiar with the rhythms of the church year is by reading books that line up thematically and biblically with each season. Reading seasonally is something that’s easy to do during Advent; there are…
Ancient Faith Transforming Modern Lives: The Laity in the Liturgy
By Joshua Ford Throughout our worship services, we encounter many exclamations uttered by the laity. “Kyrie elëison,” “Alleluia,” “Hosanna in the highest,” “Hear our prayer,” “Thanks be to God,” and the all-important “Amen” are peppered throughout the liturgical practices of the Church across time. But what do they mean? What function or role do they play in the past and in the modern day? What relevance do they have for us as 21st-century Minnesotans when we gather in prayer and…
Reflecting on the senseless
By Andy Bramsen Your love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good… Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Have the same attitude toward all… If possible, live peaceably with everyone. (Romans 12:9, 15-16a, 18) These past few days have been heart-wrenching. Two young African-American men killed by police for no apparent reason, one in Louisiana and one just a few miles from where our church meets to worship each Sunday. Five…
Sent Out In Mission: Jordan McGurran
Church of the Redeemer is excited to send out Jordan McGurran as a supported missionary this spring! In the post below, Jordan shares about his opportunity to serve with Uganda Partners and Uganda Christian University in Mukano, Uganda. “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” – Frederick Buechner By Jordan McGurran This quote from writer and Presbyterian minister Frederick Buechner has been on my mind these past two years of…
Ancient Faith Transforming Modern Lives: The Psalms
Today’s Redeemer Journal post is by Joshua Ford, who has written about chanting of the psalms in our worship service. Although chant is one of the earliest modes of Christian worship, it may be new to many of us, and Church of the Redeemer has been blessed by Joshua’s knowledge and gifts in this form of musical worship. In addition to being a skilled and gifted musician, Joshua is a graduate of St. Vladimir’s Seminary in New York and has…
Connected To Community: Lenten Soup Suppers and Prayer
By Sarah Lundgren Lenten Soup Suppers have long played a prominent role in the spiritual formation of our church. Our first gatherings as a church family were around the Lenten soup supper table at Roseville Covenant back in 2007 – back when we all still had flip phones. It’s where I first met Theresa holding her baby, Tim, who turns 10 next week. We grew in fellowship with one another as we shared our homemade breads and soups,…
Epiphany
By Steve Baird Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th and falls on the 12th day of Christmas. The word epiphany means “manifestation” or “revelation” and is usually associated in Western Christianity with the visit of the wise men (Magi) to the Christ child. Through the Magi, who by tradition came from Persia (modern day Iraq), Christ was first revealed to the gentiles. However, other Christian traditions associate Epiphany with other events in Jesus’s life. In Eastern Orthodoxy, Epiphany (or Theophany)…
Go Forth: Small Acts of Compassion
By Haley Scharf When I read the gospels I am struck by Jesus’ compassion to those who long for hope. He was moved by the suffering he saw and did not turn away from those who came to him for healing. This is at once a great comfort (because we can know he is not unfeeling towards our own brokenness) and a great challenge to those who want to be his disciples (because we must leave our own comfort zones…