Faith
About this blog
Thinking the Faith, Praying the Faith, Living the Faith is written by the PC(USA) Office of Theology and Worship.
Thinking, praying, and living the faith is at the core of ministry in the Office of Theology and Worship. In the following videos, learn more about what thinking, praying, and living the faith means to the leadership of the Office of Theology and Worship. Discover why it matters and what difference it makes in our lives, work, and worship.
Charles Wiley
Barry Ensign-George
David Gambrell
Christine Hong
Karen Russell
Recent posts
- Our Challenging Way: Faithfulness, Sex, Ordination, and Marriage
- Unity, Confessions, and the Book of Order
- Come and See
- Please and Thank You
- Back to Basics on Ash Wednesday
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Back to School
It’s back to school day here in Louisville, as Jefferson County teachers and students begin another academic year. In our house, this means lots of preparation. There are school supplies to secure, books and backpacks to buy, bus stops and schedules to learn.
In the midst of this, I’ve been thinking about how we prepare for the Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper.
The Eucharist is a school of gratitude. (Remember that “Eucharist” comes from a Greek word that means thanksgiving.) We gather at the Lord’s table to give thanks and praise for all the good and gracious things God has done—especially in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And in so doing, we come to learn the rhythm of grace and gratitude that marks all of Christian life and liturgy. God acts with mercy and love; we respond with joy and thanksgiving. That’s the heartbeat of our faith.
Psalm 86 describes this way of life so beautifully:
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. (Psalm 86:11–13)
As you prepare to receive the Lord’s Supper—and to participate in the church’s Great Thanksgiving to God—consider the things for which you are thankful. Here are a few simple suggestions, inspired by the lectionary readings for the first Sunday of September:
- loved ones in your life (S. of Sol. 2:8)
- the beauty and bounty of the earth (S. of Sol. 2:13)
- friends who are patient, and good listeners (James 1:19)
- those who care for orphans and widows (James 1:27)
- redemption and freedom in Christ (Mark 7:5)
- the grace of God, poured into our hearts (Mark 7:21)
The practice of daily prayer is another school of gratitude. Day by day, we remember the grace and goodness of the Lord, and offer our lives to God in thanksgiving and praise. Learn more at our Daily Prayer web page, and get the latest on a new smartphone app for daily prayer from the PC(USA).
In the words of James 1:17, the Epistle for next Sunday, “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” May your heart be filled with gratitude, this week and always, for the great and steadfast love of God.
- Posted at 6:00 a.m.
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