The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines doomscrolling as “to spend excessive time online scrolling through news or other content that makes one feel sad, anxious, angry, etc.”i So, why in the world do we do it? It starts out simply enough. “Doomscrolling starts with the goal of becoming more aware of a situation so you can understand what’s happening and prepare yourself for it.”ii The scrolling, whether doom or binge scrolling,…
Adapted from “When the Holy Dances with the Ordinary,” by Chris Keating (copyright 2025, CSS Publications) One year, an unseasonably warm week before Thanksgiving prompted more than a few in our neighborhood to get an early start putting up their Christmas lights. But does the week before Thanksgiving even count as early anymore? I’m not sure. While a fair number…
Throughout Advent, I’m grateful for the chance to offer a series of reflections about Advent and the grief we experience in our lives, in our churches, and in our world. Part two: The forgotten sadness of congregational grief Advent has begun. Thanksgiving’s leftovers are mostly finished, and the pace of life is picking up. At church, hallways are festooned with…
For the next three weeks, I’ll be offering a series of reflections about Advent and the grief we experience in our lives, in our churches, and in our world. Part One: Singing Silent Night in a minor key Grief’s appearance during Advent and Christmas rattles us like the ghosts who inhabit Ebenezer Scrooge’s Christmas Eve dreams. While our culture is…
We received a wonderful letter from Mary Sue Schusky, a member of First United Presbyterian Church, enclosed with a story she wrote for Illinois Heritage. We felt we should share the beautiful reflection of history with Rev. Salmon Giddings and the long-time community connection of First United Presbyterian Church, Collinsville, Illinois. Good things continue to happen at Collinsville’s Historic Presbyterian…
“The Life and Times of a Stated Clerk, part 1” Have you ever wondered what a Stated Clerk does all year long outside of the quarterly Presbytery Gatherings and their agendas? If so, you’ve come to the right place, because this month I focus on a topic a little closer to home for me. For the next two Spotlight on…
“Presbyterian Historical Society: What’s That?” As the fall approaches and I prepare for another round of annual minute reviews with our Clerks of Session, I was inspired to focus this month’s “Spotlight on Polity” on something that doesn’t get enough attention in the life of our churches, but just as important as anything else when it comes to our Polity.…
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employs more than 20,000 people nationwide. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., we have 10 regional offices located across the country. We leverage a tremendous capacity to coordinate within the federal government to make sure America is equipped to prepare for and respond to disasters. FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters, and our…
Fact Verses Fiction: Procedural Myths, Part 2 If you joined us last month, you may recall the June Spotlight on Polity was part one of a two-part series inspired by the popular television series “MythBusters,” a show that put popular fan theories and myths to the test using the scientific method. As promised, this month, we continue with part two…
I am not a farmer, but I eat food! Also, I am aware that farmers have a huge role to play in not only feeding us and are also in a position to improve the health of our whole planet. The Farm Bill is a huge bipartisan piece of legislation that has been renewed for one-year extensions since 2023. Normally,…