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Progressive Christian

2013-12-25T11:57:03-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Christmas: It's Worth Celebrating

Last updated on: December 25, 2013 at 11:57 am By Christy Thomas

It’s about the poor and left out. That’s the main message of Christmas–doesn’t matter what religion or beliefs you hold, the center of this crazy, shopping-exhausted, fueled-by-adrenaline partied, frenzied decorated, over-the-top worship-extravaganzad day is that invisible, lonely, cast-out, poor and powerless people matter. We just tend to forget that in the stampede for the “perfect” Christmas, be it gift, meal, family, event or decor. Christmas is about the minimum-wage person who exhaustedly checked you out on the last-minute shopping. Christmas... Read more

2013-12-17T18:46:41-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Bleak Midwinter: Why Sad Music at this Time of the Year?

Last updated on: December 17, 2013 at 6:46 pm By Christy Thomas

I wrote this column last year and it turned out to be a huge hit on this blog, so decided to run it again this year. Dear Christmas Advice-Giver, Why are some of the religious Christmas Carols so sad when this is the season of happiness? I mean, really, “In the Bleak Midwinter?” Nothing like a downer. Aren’t we all supposed to be just super joyful right now? And what does “bleak” mean anyway? Signed, “Bleakless” Dear Bleakless, Here’s the... Read more

In the Bleak Midwinter

Krum First UMC

sad Christmas music

2013-12-11T12:26:46-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Crusty Poinsettias; The Crusted Over Soul

Last updated on: December 11, 2013 at 12:26 pm By Christy Thomas

Yearly, members of the church I serve order poinsettias to decorate the worship center during Advent and into Christmas. We purchase them through a local non-profit agency that helps the impoverished in the area as part of their yearly fund-raising efforts. This year, I jokingly challenged the congregation to order lots of them to make sure that I got my December exercise, since this will be my last year to undertake the task of KEEPING ALL THOSE POINSETTIAS ALIVE UNTIL... Read more

2013-11-30T14:52:45-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

One Month, One Day: The Ongoing Book Dilemma

Last updated on: November 30, 2013 at 2:52 pm By Christy Thomas

Although it is technically one month and one day until the formal retirement, my handy-dandy retirement calculator app tells me that I have twenty-seven work days left. And it is really far less as I will be taking off the last two days of the month and at least an extra day after Christmas. Not to mention that the movers will be here in 18 days, so I suspect I shall not be at work that day either. I’m extremely... Read more

retirement

retirement journal

2013-11-26T17:47:55-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Four Months, Six Days: The Handoff and the Resurrection

Last updated on: November 26, 2013 at 5:47 pm By Christy Thomas

At the height of their summer glory, the elephant ears gracing the front of the parsonage where I live looked like this: After the unusually early and quite hard frost we experienced here on Nov. 12, I found this one lone ear still when I trimmed back the dead foliage. A bit heartbreaking to lose them so early–they had survived the summer heat unusually well and still were full of life just before the frost. But now they have gone to... Read more

Krum First United Methodist Church

pastoral appointments

pastoral search committees

United Methdodist Church

2013-11-26T15:16:18-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

'Twas the Month Before Christmas

Last updated on: November 26, 2013 at 3:16 pm By Christy Thomas

Holiday advice flows from every communication source, mostly on how to deal with too much forced togetherness of relatives and the stress of the next few weeks. And every year I ask, “If this is supposed to be such a fun time, why are we all so stressed?” I’m going to put the blame right where it belongs: on Norman Rockwell and Clement Clarke Moore. Norman Rockwell’s paintings graced The Saturday Evening Post covers for four decades and sometimes featured... Read more

holiday advice columns

Norman Rockwell

Santa Claus

The Night Before Christmas

2013-11-21T12:14:40-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

On District Superintendents, Pastoral Care, Condemnation and The General Rules

Last updated on: November 21, 2013 at 12:14 pm By Christy Thomas

On Clergy Supervision A little discussed issue in the larger situation with Rev. Schaefer and the church trial: the nature and accountability of clergy supervision in our covenant. Each year, clergy are asked to complete multiple forms relating to our work, our lives, and our particular appointments. One of those is something called a “personal profile” where we speak in particular of family situations and other personal factors that may affect pastoral effectiveness and the nature of clergy appointments. According to... Read more

District Superintendents

Rev. Frank Schaefer

Rev. James Todd

The General Rules

The United Methodist Church

2013-11-20T09:13:16-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

One Violation and You Are Out: The United Methodist Tragedy

Last updated on: November 20, 2013 at 9:13 am By Christy Thomas

I wish we could just all admit that we simply don’t know. As much as we might claim to know, we don’t know. We don’t know what Jesus would do. We don’t know what real love is about. We don’t know how to come up with definitive answers about what the Bible REALLY means. We don’t know how to reconcile the commandments to love God and love neighbor with a rule book that holds United Methodists together in commandment and... Read more

The Book of Discipline

The United Methodist Church

2013-11-19T09:19:24-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

"Rev. Schaefer Must Be Punished"

Last updated on: November 19, 2013 at 9:19 am By Christy Thomas

“Rev. Schaefer must be punished.” I just heard those words from the mouth of an NPR reporter quoting a UMC spokesperson concerning the trial of Rev. Frank Scheafer who, nearly seven years ago, conducted a wedding ceremony for his gay son and his spouse. Wow–that is what The United Methodist Church is about? Someone “must be punished?” Now, I agree that Rev. Schaefer did violate the Discipline. OK, I’m going to admit it: I’ve been in violation of The Discipline... Read more

The Book of Discipline

The United Methodist Church

2013-11-14T11:11:53-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

One Month, Seventeen Days: Books and Questions

Last updated on: November 14, 2013 at 11:11 am By Christy Thomas

Tuesday afternoon a church member and good friend stopped by to see me, walked into my office, looked around and burst into tears. My first thought, “Something really bad has happened.” And then she said, “The reality just hit. You are leaving.” I had packed up many of my books over the weekend. Normally stuffed-full shelves sat, mostly denuded and dusted, waiting for the next set of books to fill them. Family photos all packed as well. The time pressure... Read more

The United Methodist Church

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