Monday of Holy Week is also called Fig Monday because it is the day on which Christ cursed the fig tree (Mark 11:12-25). In days gone by, people ate dried figs on this day to commemorate the miracle. On Monday, Holy Week, Jesus clears the Temple of money changers, who...
Ever wonder what the days of Holy Week mean? Each day depicts something significant during the last week Christ walked on this earth. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday. On Palm Sunday, Jesus began His death march to Jerusalem. (Mark 11:1-11) He knew where He was going and why. As...
Jim, Vivvy, and I usually walk around the mall for exercise late Saturday afternoons. When we get home, we indulge in big, hot pretzels. Pretzels didn’t originate as an after-walk-snack. They were usually eaten once a year, during Lent. Pretzels first became popular as a Lenten food for Christians in...
I’ve been having a bit of exercise dysfunction this year, especially after my latest birthday. Used to be, I would get up very early and do a complete workout, including a vigorous exercise bike ride and weight lifting. I don’t know what happened, but somehow that means the bike is...
Theology of War Rev. Jaci McNeil Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine Wednesday, February 23rd (2022). If you’ve been following the news, you know the conflict that has been simmering since the 2014 annexation of Crimea has been kicked into overdrive. Russia and Ukraine have a complicated legacy, which dates back thousands...
As we continue our series “ A Lifestyle of Prayer”, Larry Phippin is sharing with us today When, Where, and Why We Pray. We asked Larry to write this article because of his ardent belief in prayer, which grew during his granddaughter’s bout with 4th stage Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Larry testifies...
Why Observe Lent? I was in my 30s when I first began to observe Lent. Previously, I held to the Reformation view of Lent. The Reformation of the 16th Century applied the principle, sola scriptura to everything, including the practice of Lent. Sola scriptura means, Scripture only. So, since Lent...
A serious rupture in our family has caused me to think deeply about forgiveness. Sometimes it’s easy to dispense forgiveness and sometimes it seems impossible, especially when the person requiring forgiveness is a repeat offender. Most of us put up with repeat offenders because we are afraid to do something about it. Johns...
I started writing songs in earnest when the governor of Illinois closed down churches and small businesses. The stress and pressure of the lockdowns and the ruination of the lives people had built for themselves overwhelmed me. Writing a song transported me to another place and time. It was therapy....
Do you remember what we said last year? We all said, “It’s going to be better next year.” We all said, “Next year we can go back to normal.” We all said it, admit it! Was it better? Did we go back to normal? Nope. Not in any meaningful sense,...