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Isaiah 46:3-4 How is God like a good mother to you? When I was in divinity school in 1983, northern and southern Presbyterians finally healed the split that had divided them since the Civil War. They reunited and formed a new denomination called the Presbyterian Church (USA). One of their first challenges was to write a brief statement of faith.
Read MoreWhere do you see signs of inner renewal and eternal life? A hundred years ago, a brand was an identifying mark burned on livestock. You could look at a cow and see that it came from, say, the Triangle X ranch. Now a brand is a name, term, design or symbol that separates one product or company from another. When I look around today, I don’t see Tr...
Read MoreWhen have you had to wait for God’s work to be done? The Sagrada Familia Church in Barcelona, Spain, has been under construction for more than 135 years. When the cornerstone was put in place, Chester A. Arthur was president of the United States and Queen Victoria was the monarch of England. For all that time, Sagrada Familia has been wrapped in...
Read MoreWhat do you think about when you look up at the stars? Scientists believe that the creation of the universe began 13.7 billion years ago. When I think about God’s activity over that vast amount of time, I join the writer of Psalm 8 in wondering, “When I look up at your skies, at what your fingers made — the moon and the stars that you set firmly i...
Read MoreWhen has God come to you in an unexpected way? Have you heard of “synesthesia”? It’s an experience in which one type of stimulation creates the sensation of another, such as when the hearing of a sound results in the seeing of a color. For example, when a woman with synesthesia hears a truck backing up, making a “beep-beep” sound, she sees the bee...
Read MoreListen to the Teacher What helps you to accept the guidance of an instructor? Ecclesiastes is a wisdom book which contains the words of “the Teacher,” an insightful man who “constantly taught the people knowledge” (Ecclesiastes 12:9). Among his many proverbs and truthful words were the instructions, “Worship God and keep God’s commandments.” (verse...
Read MoreDear FPC Members and Friends, We hope that you are staying well through this pandemic: Physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. We have received some special gifts to help members with rent, mortgage payments, utilities, etc. If you have a need, we can provide confidential assistance. Please be in touch with one of us: henry@fairfaxpr...
Read MoreIn times of senseless violence, where do you go for understanding? What happened at Virginia Tech in April 2007 was a horror: An undergraduate went on a shooting rampage, killing 32 and wounding 17. Seven young people from FPC were students there, and fortunately they all escaped injury. But emotional and spiritual wounds go very deep, and their...
Read MoreWhen have you turned yourself over to a Higher Power, and what was the result? One of the most well-known modern prayers is the Serenity Prayer, said first by Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr during World War II. It is now central to the recovery from addiction being achieved in thousands of 12-step groups: “God grant me the serenity to acc...
Read MoreIn a time of terrible trouble, what have you asked God to do for you? Threshold Choirs are groups that sing at the bedsides of seriously ill people, many of whom are in the final stages of life. In groups of two or three, members of these choirs sing in homes, hospitals and hospices, offering songs and hymns ranging from “Ave Maria” to “Swing Low...
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