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…
What Pope Francis’ life and death mean to this Presbyterian Pastor While not unexpected, the news of Pope Francis’ death today evoked both sadness and gratitude within me. I gave thanks that Francis’ suffering and ill health were now over, and that he has now joined the countless faithful of the church triumphant. Yet I also join my Catholic family,…
Here’s a fact which may come in handy for your next trivia night: this year’s mashup of Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday will be the third time the start of Lent has been on February 14 since 1945. The other was in the wistful pre-pandemic year of 2018. They will sync up again for the last time in this century…
Eileen stopped by church the other day. She arrived just in time for Chapel Time at Mother’s Day Out, so I invited her to join us. Afterall, I figured, its not often that three- and four-year-olds get to meet an angel. In the interest of transparency, I better stop there and clear things up. While Eileen is indeed an angel,…
Blog Post by Rev. Dr. Chris Keating Pastor of Woodlawn Chapel Presbyterian & St. Louis County Police Chaplain In case you missed it, your church was packed on Tuesday. Every seat was taken—even the front pews that are only used during weddings. Even your uncle, who never attends, joined the countless host streaming through the sanctuary doors. Don’t believe me?…
Guest blog post By Rev. Dr. Chris Keating Woodlawn Chapel Presbyterian Church Around midnight the other evening, I stood on a frozen driveway in an isolated section of St. Louis County. Looking up the steep hillside, I wondered how I was supposed to get to the front door of the house. Inside, flashing moved around and strobe lights flashed as…