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Progressive Christian

Advent and Christmas

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December 2020

December 20, 2020

Hard Candy Christmas: And Other Songs You Need This Year

If your old holiday standards aren't quite cutting it this year, there are others that...

December 09, 2020

Passing By

In these days that feel like the same day, spinning itself out over and over...

December 02, 2020

Peace, Love, Apocalypse

You'll hear a lot of religious extremists these days talking about the end times- God...

November 2020

November 29, 2020

Light, Enough

I am the laziest holiday decorator in the world. Christmas is the only season for...

December 2019

December 20, 2019

Signs and Wonders

It was not rare to have visitors in my office. But it was extremely rare...

December 06, 2019

Rend the Heavens: Do We Really Want God to Come Down?

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!...

November 2019

November 17, 2019

Waste The Stamp: Letters to Santa, and Other Acts of Faith

There is a 9-year-old scientist in my house who can name for you every element...

December 2018

December 13, 2018

Come Home for Christmas: Welcoming Our LGBTQ Friends In Church

In many mainline denominations, “Open and Affirming” is code for “we welcome gay people.” Although...

December 11, 2018

Next December: When Hope Takes the Long View

Sometimes hope takes the long view. During Advent, we talk about holding out hope for...

December 08, 2018

Singing In the Dark: 7 Christmas Songs You Never Saw Coming

What I know from years of blogging (and pastoring) is that people have some FEELINGS...

December 19, 2017

In Pro-life America, Would Mary Survive the Night?

Drive down a Missouri highway, and you will not be distracted by any scenic vistas....

December 18, 2017

Christmas Card Blues

Y'all, I had the best of intentions this year. Got family pictures taken in early...

December 12, 2017

Peace, Love, Music: 10 Christmas Songs of Resistance

Let's be real: 90% of the Christmas music they play on the radio is garbage....

December 11, 2017

What Mary Knew

Allow me a Grinch-y moment folks... I love Christmas, but some of the secular trappings...

November 2017

November 28, 2017

Outside the Box: Rethinking Holiday Charitable Giving

I am fundamentally opposed to Black Friday shopping. For many reasons, not the least of...

October 2017

October 20, 2017

40 Things For My 40th Birthday: What I’m Giving Up, Embracing, Or Not Even Worried About

I’m trying to say it out loud, so here goes: I’m 40. Four-oh. 4-times-10. FORTY....

December 2016

December 21, 2016

The End of Words: A Zechariah Advent

Thanks to the magic of Facebook pop-up memories, I revisit the posts of Christmas Past...

December 12, 2016

What Were You Expecting?

What were you expecting? If your childhood pre-dates the digital age and the magic of...

December 07, 2016

Open: The Perfect Christmas Card

I guess it's time to start thinking about Christmas cards. (sigh) This means coming up with...

November 2016

November 30, 2016

Assemble: Word 3, Advent 1

One of the best parts of Christmas at my house is getting out the nativity...

November 29, 2016

Shift: 5 Ways to a Sane December

Advent 1, Word #2 -- shift. I'm trying this thing again, where I blog every (week)day...

November 28, 2016

Anticipate: Advent 1, Word 1

I spend a lot of my time and energy anticipating future needs. Mine, and those...

December 2015

December 24, 2015

Meanwhile, Instead, Anyway: Christmas, the Great Conjunction

My high school English teacher--the one who showed me the wonders of eliminating 'to-be' verbs...

December 22, 2015

Deep in the Root

Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light. This winter image, offered up by...

December 17, 2015

Let it Go: What Church Can and Can’t Be at Christmas

Here's what I did NOT need to see: that article from "Christianity Today" about how...

December 16, 2015

Hope Trumps Fear: Advent Thoughts on the GOP Debate

"Look Daddy! Every time Trump gets 'booed,' an angel gets his wings!" ...is the thought...

December 10, 2015

This Magic Window

Most years, I’m a Christmas minimalist. My kids get 3 or 4 gifts each—some of...

December 03, 2015

Come Darkness, Come Light

I'm going to have to call the police on my neighbors. The liturgical police, that...

December 01, 2015

Naughty or Nice: Tell Your Kids They’re Good

I swear I didn't lose it on purpose. Here's how it happened. When my daughter...

November 2015

November 30, 2015

Keeping the Light

Normally, I’m a purist. Nothing green or sparkly goes up at my house until the...