Sharp About Your Prayers

the challenges, absurdities, and joys of an urban faith

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Entries Tagged as 'Faith and the City'

Can You Trust Mama?

May 11th, 2012 · 1 Comment · Faith and the City

This Sunday is Mother’s Day. In worship, we will be reading from the pages of an oft-overlooked book in the New Testament — Second Timothy. In this fairly short letter, the Apostle Paul reaches out to exhort and comfort his young friend. He does this by recalling the manner in which Timothy came to faith. [...]

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Come Hungry

May 4th, 2012 · 23 Comments · Faith and the City

Some of the best questions have more than one right answer.  Some of the most iconic symbols have more than one meaning.  Philosopher and Christian thinker, Paul Ricoeur, observed that our most famous symbols and emblems have the ability to carry “a surplus of meaning” on their broad shoulders. Take, for example, the American flag.  [...]

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Canine Theology

April 27th, 2012 · 5 Comments · Faith and the City

My family recently acquired a dog. Fergus is six months old. He is small (about 10 pounds), vanilla with caramel-coated ears, and fully charged with puppy zing. When someone visits our apartment, Fergus runs to them, cavorts around, and generally communicates, “You are my new most favorite person in the world!”  When I get home in [...]

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A Little C.S.L. for Easter Week

April 9th, 2012 · 1 Comment · Faith and the City

“At that moment they heard from behind them a loud noise—a great cracking, deafening noise as if a giant had broken a giant’s plate. “What’s that?” said Lucy, clutching Susan’s arm. “I—I feel afraid to turn around,” said Susan; “something awful is happening.” “They’re doing something worse to Him,” said Lucy, “Come on!” And she [...]

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So Amazing, So Divine

April 4th, 2012 · 2 Comments · Faith and the City

Maundy Thursday, 2012 My favorite hymn writer is Isaac Watts.  Watts, a teacher, poet and pastor of meager estate, wrote over 750 hymns while serving a small London parish in the early 1700’s.  His hymnody is historically significant because rather than writing musical tunes for the psalms—which he also did, and which was primary function [...]

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P-Soup

March 29th, 2012 · No Comments · Faith and the City

This Sunday is Palm Sunday.  We are eager to celebrate this spirited Christian festival with you.  Children and adults, clergy and choir have been working creatively and faithfully to prepare for our upcoming Holy Week. We are ready to accompany you on the spiritual path that begins with Jesus riding into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), that [...]

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Meet Me at the Hotel Montana

March 8th, 2012 · 8 Comments · Faith and the City

“Capital of the World” is my favorite Ernest Hemingway story.  In it, he tells the tale of a Spanish father searching for his son who ran away from home after having a fight with his old man. The father so badly wants to reconcile with his beloved boy that he places an advertisement in the [...]

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Jesus says, “Eat Your Broccoli”

March 2nd, 2012 · 1 Comment · Faith and the City

Will Willimon, the Methodist Bishop of North Alabama, likes to say that it is our sacred responsibility, as people of faith, “to work with whomever Jesus drags to church.” Recently, I used this quotation in a sermon.  After the service a young man came up to me and said, “Sir, that wasn’t Jesus.  That was [...]

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In the Desert

February 22nd, 2012 · 1 Comment · Faith and the City

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; [...]

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Looking Death in the Eye

February 9th, 2012 · 8 Comments · Faith and the City

“Big Fish” is one of my favorite movies.  I love the scene in the film when Edward, a ten-year-old boy, and his four curious friends hike into a swamp.  They are searching for a ramshackle, vine-covered home.  They are hoping to get a peek at the house’s occupant—an old woman reputed to be a witch. [...]

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