If you can check all of these boxes, sally forth into retirement and relax: You enjoy excellent health. You are happily married. Your children are close to you, both emotionally and physically. You have friendships outside your workplace. Your home is affordable and suitable for senior status. You belong to a lively, always-changing, always-challenging faith community. You have a capacity to try new things and learn new skills. You have adequate pension income and investments. Most of us can check some of these boxes, but probably not all. Some of us have no checkmarks. Here’s what the categories mean and what, if anything, you can do about them as retirement looms: Health. The body inevitably fails, early for some, later for others. You can give yourself a break with three basic steps:Lose weight now. Stay far away from obesity.Exercise more, including walking, cardio workouts, lifting weights, strengthening your core, improving balance and … [Read more...]
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Commentary 9 hours ago
Drift
For the 2018 graduating class of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Three hundred fifty million years ago an urge so deep no tongue may shape its name congregated continents together — Pangaea, as we call it — and the land was one, and rivers ran and mountains rose, caressed the sky, and sang the songs of home. Two hundred twenty million years ago Pangaea broke apart, or so they say. The great rift valleys tore the lands asunder; they drifted to the corners of the wind, and came to rest in… continue reading... -
Looking into the lectionary 10 hours ago
2nd Sunday after Epiphany — January 20, 2019
John 2:1-11 Ordinary 2C Jesus’ first sign is turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Jill Duffield’s lectionary reflections are sent to the Outlook’s email list every Monday. Jesus, Mary and Jesus’ newly called disciples are all in attendance. Horror of horrors, the hosts of the wedding reception run out of wine. Mary realizes the problem, and perhaps she can relate as a hostess who would want to be spared such embarrassment in front of the gathered community. She says to Jesus, “They have no wine.” Note that… continue reading... -
Outlook Reporting 1 day ago
Property and poverty: Presbyterian Mission Agency Board discusses issues facing denomination
At its meeting in Louisville March 27-29, the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board will focus on anti-poverty work the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is doing, and consider a number of issues related to property. The board’s coordinating committee met by conference call Jan. 17 and gave some glimpses into what’s likely to come up. Work on poverty. At each of its meetings, the board is focusing on one priority in its Mission Work Plan – this time, on work the denomination is doing to address poverty. Diane Moffett, president and executive director… continue reading...
Parties in Stamford case had tried to expedite process in order to get a ruling on the merits of the case January 1, 1995 Uncategorized61 views The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission -- in sidestepping the question of exactly how deeply a session should be required to probe into the private life of a gay elder who has acknowledged being in a committed, life-long relationship but has declined to say whether he is sexually active -- has put the question off but has not put it to rest.- Ministering with the Earth January 1, 1998 Book Reviews57 views By Mary Elizabeth MooreChalice. 1998. 226 pp. Pb. $19.99. ISBN 0-8272-2323-4 Ministering with the Earth is a quiltwork, both the on-the-ground activity and Moore's book about so ministering. Moore, professor of theology and Christian education at Claremont School of Theology, is fond of the metaphor, suitably pastoral and feminist.
- Remembered Voice: Reclaiming the Legacy of 'Neo-Orthodoxy' January 1, 1998 Book Reviews47 views By Douglas John HallWJKP. 1998. 145 pp. Pb. $18. ISBN 0-664-25772-0 It was in this order. I first read Tillich's Dynamics of Faith. Riveting. Next came The Courage to Be. Gripping. Then I went back and read the first volume of the Systematic Theology. Things began to make sense. Next came Biblical Religion and the Search for Ultimate Reality. Positive.
Stony Point as laboratory? Presbyterian Mission Agency Board discusses center’s future September 28, 2018 Outlook Reporting1 comment LOUISVILLE – The question of how much money the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is willing to spend to support the Stony Point Center continues to be raised – with the leadership of the Presbyterian Mission Agency hoping to spend the next six months or so trying to get Stony Point on more solid financial ground and finding ways to integrate it with the broader work of the agency.
The Presbyterian Mission Agency Board has been struggling for years with the questions of how much to financially support Stony Point – with an underlying questio...
“This is going to be some heavy lifting" — Moving Forward Implementation Commission gets to work January 14, 2019 Outlook Reporting1 comment LOUISVILLE – The Moving Forward Implementation Commission is beginning to get a sense of the territory in which it’ll be working until the next General Assembly – somewhat familiar landscape, but with new challenges as well.
Some of this work involves monitoring to make sure that what the 2018 General Assembly instructed be done actually comes to pass – for example, to significantly expand translation of materials in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) into languages other than English.
“Access is power,” said Julie Cox, a mid council executive from South C...
“We need clarity of vision” – Way Forward Committee takes action on 2020 Vision Team report June 18, 2018 Outlook Reporting1 comment ST. LOUIS – The Way Forward Committee took action on the 2020 Vision Team report June 17 – but along the way struggled with some of the same difficulties the Vision Team encountered in drafting its report.
The Vision Team – which is supposed to complete its work in 2020 – had sent a recommendation asking the 2018 General Assembly to forward a proposed draft of its guiding statement to the church for study and comment. That draft statement says that “God calls the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to be Prayerful, Courageous, United, Serving, Alive” – with first ...
Can you check the boxes for retirement?
It takes a cloud
One of the most effective pastors I know was talking recently about the day she answered God’s call to ministry. It was near the end of the summer, 20-some years ago, after one of those long, classic “Oh-no-not-me-Lord” struggles. On the morning in question, she left the San Juan Island camp where she worked to take her day off in town. There were plenty of friends to wave her off. Counselor of the year, blonde and high-energy, she was the kind of person whose absence produced a noticeable drop in the camp’s fun-factor. On this particular afternoon, she proceeded to a lovely little jewelry store on the resort side of town, purchased a plain silver band and took it to a chapel at the edge of the Pacific. After long moments of seeking God in prayer, she placed the ring on her own finger and made her vow. Sunlight fell through the stained glass, purple against her skin. A sense of fullness welled up. Leaving the chapel, she stood for a moment looking out across the sea. After a quiet … [Read more...]
Dementia and religion: Inside a church’s Alzheimer’s caregiver support group
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (RNS) — They sat in a circle in a room usually used by high schoolers and talked about the people they loved who no longer recognized them or who had died forgetting the names of family caregivers in their last days. The Alzheimer’s caregiver support group on a campus of Southeast Christian Church started with a devotional lesson referring to Charlie Brown pal Linus’ lack of fear as he told the story of the birth of Jesus. “It’s only through our relationship with Christ that we can have the inner peace that can help us just get through the day,” said a facilitator before the group of 10 bowed their heads for an opening prayer. Her petition acknowledged the challenges of both caring for someone and coping with the “job” being done if that someone had recently died. The monthly caregivers’ gathering at this evangelical megachurch is among the hundreds of support groups held at houses of worship and affiliated with the Alzheimer’s Association. From the nearby … [Read more...]
Dementia and religion: Do’s and don’ts
(RNS) — When a congregant has dementia, what can a house of worship do? Though each person is different and advice varies depending on an individual’s condition, here are some basic do’s and don’ts from experts on how congregations and individuals can help and not hurt. CONGREGATIONS DO’S Visit people in homes, at care facilities Offer respite to caregivers Create support group; connect with local ones Hold a hymn sing; recite traditional prayers Use name tags DON’TS Don’t exclude (make accommodations instead) Don’t offer traditional service in home setting Don’t give weekend sermon at weekday nursing home visit INDIVIDUALS DO’S Treat people with respect Reintroduce yourself Sing; make a playlist of favorite hymns and songs Listen and validate feelings Phone caregivers DON’TS Don’t ask “Do you remember me?” Don’t be condescending (treat like adults, not children) Don’t try to correct (accept their reality) … [Read more...]
Drift
For the 2018 graduating class of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Three hundred fifty million years ago an urge so deep no tongue may shape its name congregated continents together — Pangaea, as we call it — and the land was one, and rivers ran and mountains rose, caressed the sky, and sang the songs of home. Two hundred twenty million years ago Pangaea broke apart, or so they say. The great rift valleys tore the lands asunder; they drifted to the corners of the wind, and came to rest in distant far-flung places, sang other songs, were known by other names. And soon enough the time will come for leaving. New continents will know you by new names, new waters shape new waves upon your shores. These moments we believe to be eternal are but songs we’re given for a while; they drift away, and other songs begin. But pause, and recollect what brought you here — an urge that even now you cannot name, that gathered you together in this place and gave you … [Read more...]
2nd Sunday after Epiphany — January 20, 2019
John 2:1-11 Ordinary 2C Jesus’ first sign is turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Jesus, Mary and Jesus’ newly called disciples are all in attendance. Horror of horrors, the hosts of the wedding reception run out of wine. Mary realizes the problem, and perhaps she can relate as a hostess who would want to be spared such embarrassment in front of the gathered community. She says to Jesus, “They have no wine.” Note that Mary does not ask Jesus to fix the problem. She simply tells her son, “They have no wine.” Jesus then responds cryptically: “What’s it to you or me? My hour has not yet come.” Huh? How does Jesus’ response relate to Mary’s statement? Then Mary instructs the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Why? Jesus just said “So what?” about the lack of wine. Now Mary tells the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them. How does this sequence of events go together? The editor in me wants to send this manuscript back to John and ask him to smooth out the … [Read more...]
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