As we enter this Holy Week before Easter, it's been four weeks since our congregation has been able to meet in person for worship, and there's no telling how long this coronavirus pandemic will last, or how many more weeks we may need to worship apart at home. While we wait, I'm grateful that here … Continue reading A Story of Faith, Family, and Forgiveness
Since I started blogging, I've seen many other blogs come and go. Some were created for a specific time and purpose with a limited life span. Others fell into disuse and eventually closed. Some bloggers grew tired or disillusioned or both, and left the often relentless pace of blogging behind. Unfortunately that means that some … Continue reading On a Pilgrimage, Following Jesus
We admire those willing to die for what they believe, and we pay attention to the last words of those we admire. The book, Martyrs Mirror, consists primarily of final messages from Christians in jail, joyfully waiting to die for their faith. - Introduction to Martyrs Mirror I've generally thought of martyrdom as "the ultimate act of … Continue reading Is a Hidden Faith Just as Genuine as the Faith of a Martyr?
During my husband's first year of seminary, I led a chapel service that I called A Letter to Seminarians based on 1 Thessalonians 1:2-2:8. In those days before social media, we all loved snail mail, and I would join the daily crowd around the seminary mailboxes and hope for a letter from someone back home. So … Continue reading Dear Seminarian, With Love From Your Home Congregation
One morning as I scanned my church email, most of the names and subject lines were familiar. Our guest speaker for the coming Sunday had sent her sermon title. Our music coordinator wanted to discuss the worship flow and congregational singing. Our denominational office had sent the usual weekly email of announcements and prayer requests. … Continue reading Striving to Embrace Our Multi-Ethnic Community
When I read a book, I'm never just reading. I jot down the occasional note, underline a quote, add a star for emphasis, slip bookmarks between the pages I want to come back to, sip my tea, look out the window, send a tweet, and find other ways to engage whatever I'm reading. This weekend … Continue reading 5 Ways to be Inspired by The Gospel Next Door
Thank you to all those who prayed, questioned, encouraged, offered resources, attended, and otherwise expressed interest in last week's interfaith event where I had been invited as one of three featured speakers on the topic of fasting as an aid to peace. In my previous article written before the event, What is Interfaith Dialogue and How to … Continue reading In the Christian faith, how is fasting an aid to peace?
Last week I made a quick trip to Winnipeg for Future Directions Task Force meetings where I stayed on campus at Canadian Mennonite University, so of course I needed to visit the new CommonWord Bookstore and Resource Centre. For those who can drop by in person, CommonWord is a great place to browse for books, … Continue reading Get the Best Free Anabaptist Christian Resources at CommonWord
April Yamasaki 