by Jon | Dec 15, 2016 | feat., westfield |
Last Sunday night around 7:45pm, I stood in front of 400 people holding candles. “Lift them high,” I directed, as we began to sing the first verse of Silent Night again. Just like that, a church that had faced so many hard, dark days was filled from floor...
by Jon | Sep 18, 2016 | feat., westfield |
No one ever told me it’d be heavy. No one warned me that when we finally made it to the big moment in my service of ordination, when I was finally surrounded by the faithful of all generations–clergy, laity, old, young, family, fraternity brothers, church...
by Jon | Jun 5, 2016 | feat., visual worship, westfield |
Growing up, we had Fifth Sunday Night Sings. Every fifth Sunday, area churches would get together for a potluck and hymn sing. We’d eat all kinds of delicious food, then sing all kinds of beloved songs. It was a cherished way to spend time together with...
by Jon | May 18, 2016 | feat., installations, visual worship, westfield |
Pentecost is one of my favorite days in the church year. Here’s why: I love the color red (although green is my favorite); I love the story of the followers of Jesus not knowing what hit them and how everyone else thought they were drunk; and I LOVE Johnny...
by Jon | May 15, 2016 | feat., stoles, westfield |
CONFESSION: Before you go any further, dear reader, and decide that I have absolutely no liturgical sensibilities because I wore a WHITE stole on Pentecost, be at peace. I wore this one last week (5/8). I just didn’t have a chance before today to highlight it....
by Jon | Jan 31, 2016 | altarscapes, feat., visual worship, westfield |
We tried something new at Westfield this morning. Well, at least new to us. Instead of a sermon, I invited the congregation to wander around our sanctuary and into our narthex to eight prayer stations all created around a single theme: who we are called to be. We are...