One thing rural communities rely on is repetition. Repetition creates consistency, memory, and tradition. This repetition matters, whether it is football of Fridays in the fall, the festival on the first weekend of May, or knowing who to call when someone in the community dies to get the prayer and meal train going. I’ve learnedContinue reading “It bears repeating…”
Tag Archives: Rural Life
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 haveContinue reading “A Can of Soup”
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. TakeContinue reading “Holy Week Fragments: Tuesday”
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 withContinue reading “Holy Week Fragments: Monday”
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. HereContinue reading “Holy Week Fragments: Palm Sunday”
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 theyContinue reading “Rural Bible Readings: Psalm 50:1-3”
