Author: Richard Worden

I am now on the other side of the communion table. What I see and hear are different from presiding at the table. Instead of an assemblage of heads, I see a cup and a loaf of bread. Instead of the memorized ritual of holy communion, I … Read more

Identifying a location for loved ones who have passed away is important. Some obituaries include the words "He/She went to be with the Lord." The suggestion is that someone left this world to locate with someone somewhere else. A reaction … Read more

The age of being politically correct is a struggle for some people. Ways of speaking and behaving have changed and are changing. The second great commandment — "You shall love your neighbour as yourself" (Matthew 22:39 NRSV) — is the … Read more

In 1948, J. Calvin Reid published a collection of stories under the title Birdlife in Wington. Wington is an imaginary town, and all the characters are birds with very human qualities. One of my favourite Wington stories is about a … Read more

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) buried his wife and two children in 1840. Grief paralyzed him. He gave up composing. The days were dark, and the nights were worse. Visits from his music agent did not help. As one of his visits was ending and … Read more

Margaret Fishback Powers is the author of the poem Footprints in the Sand. The poem appears on pillows, cups, and posters. The theme of the poem is that Jesus is the caring one. Lillian Daniel has a contemporary version of a similar … Read more

Advent begins the countdown to Christmas. In the church, Advent marks the beginning of a new year. Similarly, the Jewish new year and the Chinese new year do not align with the first of January — the new year on our ordinary calendars. … Read more

During his recent visit to the United States, Pope Francis said the following in his address to Congress: The challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the … Read more

There is an old preacher's story about the little girl who brought her friend to worship with her one Sunday. When her friend started to talk out loud, the girl said, "You have to be quiet or the hushers will come for you." My weekly … Read more

I recall preaching on the above verse at the anniversary of a church that had closed years and years before. Each year, there was an anniversary service to honour the prairie pioneers who had built the church and built up the faith in the … Read more