Family, music, and God’s presence

They say that music is a window into the soul. Music indeed is one of God’s greatest poetic gifts that offers expression of emotion, especially for those with the gift of song or playing instruments. Growing up in New Orleans, I was taught an appreciation for jazz...

A prayer for this moment of remembrance

Siblings in Christ, As we stand on the cusp of 400,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the United States, I want to take a moment and acknowledge the impact of this reality in our own congregation and community. At our staff meeting this morning several people shared that...

“… the gleaming edge of faith itself …”

Well, friends, 2021 is off to quite a start, isn’t it? I am afraid to say we have nowhere to go but up. I’ve thought that too many times as of late only to be proven wrong. As I write this, I am worried about what will happen on January 20. I am worried about the...

Opening gates, building bridges

My daughters are much more attuned to what is happening in our nation and world today than I ever was at ages 16 and 13. In the 1980s, I cared little for what was happening beyond my own little teenage bubble. But my teenagers have questions; they express fears; they...

The tie says it all

My husband Grant, being a fan of all things over-the-top-Christmas, has a large collection of Christmas-themed ties, both secular and sacred. One of his favorites looks understated, what with its diagonal red and green stripes and block letters that repeat the...

Essence, Beauty, Dinosaurs

Like so many children, my grandson Evan is fascinated with dinosaurs. My daughter Emily says he is obsessed. He watches dinosaur cartoons, looks at dinosaur picture books, and has memorized the names of dozens of dinosaurs. I think I knew three when I was his age....

Let it be

Friends, I hope your Christmas was filled with joy and blessings. Certainly, Christmas 2020 is memorable. Many of our rituals, routines and rhythms got upended, like so much else, by the pandemic. I missed being in our beautiful sanctuary singing beloved Christmas...

And it was Good!

“God saw it all and declared it good!” Today as you see the world you inhabit, make a point to notice its goodness and name it so. These are words from scripture as well as from one of the messages in the Advent devotional written by our new pastor, Jill Duffield.  We...

December 21: The Longest Night

The pastors invite you to join us for a special service, The Longest Night, on our Advent and FPC Worship Services playlists, beginning today at 10 am. Today, December 21, marks the longest night of the year. After this past year, that longest night may bring up...

Inspiring Generosity, and a Farm Dogs Update

Thanks to Elder Michael Hunt, Hoke Huss, and all of our outreach volunteers, the Wednesday Drive-By collection ministry continues to be a huge success. At the Peppermint Parade, we collected 1,156 pounds of food for Greensboro Urban Ministry. We have collected 21...