Rural Life
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A Can of Soup
My wife’s Valentine’s Day gift to me was a trip to our local art museum. They just opened an exhibit titled “The Works of Warhol.” For years, Andy Warhol has been my favorite artist. If I am ever in a city and they have an art museum, I always check to see if they have Continue reading
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The Importance of Place
I spent some time on my parents’ land yesterday. I try to walk the land regularly, but in the past few years it’s been harder as I’ve been working more. I found myself in my grandparents backyard. I was next to Pawpaw’s old truck. The tires are now flat and it’s grown over with vines, Continue reading
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Joshua – Reviewing a 50-Year-Old Album
Dolly Parton recently reminded her social media followers that the critically acclaimed Joshua album turned fifty this week (April 12th, 1971 was it’s release date). A review in the magazine Cash Box called the title track one of the all-time best country records ever recorded. The song became Dolly Parton’s first #1 Hit on the Continue reading
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Holy Week Fragments: 30 Seconds at a Time
Here’s a link to today’s lectionary text – John 13:1-17, 31-35 The commentaries for today’s scripture remind us of a couple things. 1) There is a meal in John, but it is not the Lord’s Supper in the traditional sense but it connects to it. 2) The foot washing is something crucial to community to Continue reading
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Holy Week Fragments: Wednesday
Here is a link to the lectionary reading for today, John 13:21-32 Today’s scripture bothered me. I didn’t want to focus too much on Satan, betrayal and over explaining this. However, since, I’m not alone in my study of scripture, I turn again to commentators. Francis Moloney suggests that the thing we should look toward Continue reading
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Holy Week Fragments: Tuesday
Click Here for Today’s Scripture: John 12:20-36 Today’s scripture moves away from the action of donkey rides and perfume anointing to Jesus’ final public preaching. One could easily view this scripture as just a crucifixion/resurrection prediction and use the the kenosis model of Christ. However, Gerard Sloyan wants to explore something more identity oriented. Take Continue reading
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Holy Week Fragments: Monday
Today’s Scripture is John 12:1-11. Click here for the link. Mary pours a jar of perfume onto Jesus’ feet and washes his feet with her hair. Judas Iscariot (and likely other disciples) respond that they could have sold the perfume and given it to the poor. Jesus rebukes them and tell them the poor with Continue reading
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Holy Week Fragments: Palm Sunday
As the Scholar in Residence at First UMC, Newton, I challenged the congregation to read the gospel lectionary text for each day of Holy Week and to sit with it. Of course, I am doing this too. I wanted to provide my first thoughts on Holy Week from a rural theologian and Christian educator. Here Continue reading
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Rural Bible Readings: Psalm 50:1-3
I regularly teach the course “Engaging the Bible in Rural Ministry.” Throughout the course I work to instill the understanding that the Bible is a rural text. Rural communities find themselves in the text through the patterns of life, the imagery, story, and prophecy. When rural communities connect their story with the biblical story they Continue reading
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Can these Porch Lights Still Glow?
There’s a saying from that annals of rural southern mythology that goes something like “If the porch light’s on, come on in.” I think this statement is designed to promote the idea or heritage of rural hospitality. The idea that country folk will welcome anyone in need need into their homes. I can, with some Continue reading
Jonathan LeMaster-Smith 