“Every praise is to our God” is the title and refrain of Hezekiah Walker’s do-you-need-a-little-joy-right-now? jam. I love this song! But it does have some weird language that trips me up a little, and I think might trip you up even more if you are not used to church music. Every praise is to ourContinue reading “Hezekiah Walker, Moana and Me Say “We Are Worshippers””
Category Archives: public worship
A Shirtless Dancing Guy for Your Joy
Min 0:00 Just a shirtless dancing guy In 2009, on Memorial Day Weekend, there was a music festival in the town of George in the state of Washington. And at this “Sasquatch Festival” a shirtless man started dancing. But his dance solo became an irresistible dance party in a matter of minutes and some blessedContinue reading “A Shirtless Dancing Guy for Your Joy”
Top 5 Christmas Songs Ever (Objectively Subjectively)
I love Christmas Music! I say bring it on Thanksgiving Day, and keep the best ones in your playlist all year long. Jesus is with us! We need the soundtrack of our lives and hearts to celebrate this as much as possible. In honor of Christmas Music that Doesn’t Suck Part II (this Sunday, DecemberContinue reading “Top 5 Christmas Songs Ever (Objectively Subjectively)”
Why Showing Up is Even More Important in Advent
Ordinary Pilgrims One of the simplest and best reasons to have a Sunday meeting is that we need to show up. We need to do something with our bodies to give substance to the faith we profess or it will shrink. Getting up, dressing the children and piling them into the car on Sunday morning,Continue reading “Why Showing Up is Even More Important in Advent”
The Dangers of Teeth-Brushing Christianity
Among many other odd and troubling things about the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearings last week was a comparison between church attendance and brushing your teeth. On one hand, I admire the regularity of his devotion, but on the other hand the comparison is dangerously close to just going through the motions. I don’tContinue reading “The Dangers of Teeth-Brushing Christianity”
Why is worship relief?
Encounter with the living God On Monday night many of the leaders of our Sunday meetings gathered to think together about how we lead people to encounter God. It’s a pretty grandiose endeavor, right? “Now I will lead you to have an encounter with the living God.” Who says stuff like that? A lot ofContinue reading “Why is worship relief?”
All Hands on Deck
“All hands on deck” is an example of a synecdoche. Synecdoche : noun, Rhetoric. 1. a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part. The captain calls, “All hands on deck!” and, of course, he is not calling the whole crew to lop off their hands and throw them to the deck of the ship. The hands are the part of the person he needs at thatContinue reading “All Hands on Deck”
Dan McGowan is a Good Bet
Dan McGowan begins on Monday as our New Meetings Launch Coordinator. We created a position to help us make this daring transition from one meeting to two. In August we will move our existing 5pm meeting to 10:30am and start a new meeting at 5pm. Today, the Leadership Team Core approved the position. We areContinue reading “Dan McGowan is a Good Bet”
South Jersey is Different
My Newjerzaversary Yesterday was the one year mark of my New Jersey home ownership. July 9th will be my residential anniversary (my newjerzaversary). I moved to Haddon Township to get deeper into the region that God called me to as the pastor of Circle of Hope’s South Jersey Congregation. A lot has changed for meContinue reading “South Jersey is Different”
Time for Problems
At 3800 Marlton Pike, we’ve decided to move our current Sunday meeting from the evening to the morning. This is causing a lot of problems. I love problems and I think some people find this a little annoying. If there’s a problem, at least then we know for sure what needs to be done! IfContinue reading “Time for Problems”
Palm Sunday at Midnight in Washington DC
Washington DC is not solely responsible for the numbed-out, gotta-buy-my happiness-and-can’t, bickering-by-default, coercive domination we all suffer as 21st century human beings. Our despair about the way the world is going wasn’t born in the Capitol building, but it is a big bright target in the skyline of our thinking and feeling that is worthContinue reading “Palm Sunday at Midnight in Washington DC”
Energy Teleportation and New Life in Christ
A few months ago scientists were able to transfer information stored in a photon across a distance of 25 kilometers. I can’t totally understand what the science communicators are trying to tell me despite some significant head scratching. Here’s a link to one of the articles I read [link]. Just the idea that information is regularlyContinue reading “Energy Teleportation and New Life in Christ”
It’s Dr. King’s Birthday- Man, do I wish they hadn’t murdered him
My old pal, John Francis, got it so right when he wrote this song “Kill the Dreamer” back in 2007. “Oh, say can you see things are not as they seem from sea to shining sea Dr. King, Dr. King I know you’re listening. they can kill the dreamer but they cannot kill the dream there wasContinue reading “It’s Dr. King’s Birthday- Man, do I wish they hadn’t murdered him”
Invitation
In Circle of Hope we say our vision for fulfilling our mission is this: “We create an environment where people can connect with God and act for redemption. Responding in love to our thirsty region and fractured society, we are birthing a new generation of the church to resist and restore with those moved byContinue reading “Invitation”
Circle of Hope’s Public Joy
I was driving down the Broad Street on Sunday when all of a sudden I had to pull over abruptly in the center “parking lane.” My friends, Forest and Ben were playing guitars in front of the library at Broad and Morris! It was a beautiful morning and these beautiful people were making some beautifulContinue reading “Circle of Hope’s Public Joy”
Today, if you hear his voice 