Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Carla Aday”
“The surprise is not that, unexpectedly, things turn out better than expected. No, the real surprise is that God’s light is more real than all the darkness, that God’s truth is more powerful than all human lies, that God’s love is stronger than death.” Henri Nouwen As we approach Thanksgiving …
The last few weeks have been more chaotic than typical. We moved out of our house to have some small rehab projects done. And though we were lavishly and lovingly cared for by local relatives who took us in and fed us and didn’t complain when the stay extended an …
“This love between us was born from the first human; It cannot be eradicated As the river finds its way into the ocean What is inside me flows into you. (Isa Upanishad v. 6-7) Is there a love between humans that cannot be eradicated? The above text from Hindu poetry …
Rain, like mist, saturated the darkness. Something was odd. Too quiet. After passing a few houses on my block, I realized the power was out in much of the neighborhood. No compressor motors were running. No lights humming. It reminded me of the eerie quiet that settled over the city …
Suddenly all the cars behind me were honking. Some folks were shouting obscenities in the direction of my orange hatchback. A uniformed official was waving at me and walking towards me. How was I supposed to know that exact change didn’t mean paper bills and coins equaling $3.50 but rather …
I have always been uncomfortable with the “week of the ministry” as set apart by our denominational leaders or even now by Hallmark. While it is nice to receive cards of gratitude, my own theology is that all of us are ministers. So what I do is not more special …
Last Sunday was the culmination of six years of planning. I cannot begin to adequately thank the Centennial Steering Committee under the leadership of Peter and Lesley Holt, and Honorary Chairs Tom Van Dyke and Kay Barnes. And the entire clergy and staff team worked so hard for so long …
On September 30, the City Council of Kansas City, Missouri, presented a special action resolution honoring our church’s Centennial. I was honored to receive the action, along with Lesley Holt, co-chair of the Centennial, from our member, Councilwoman Andrea Bough who also represents our district. It read in part…WHEREAS, the …
Our church has had eight Senior Ministers in its first 100 years. I was lucky enough to know four of them and be one of them. Dr. Bash was small in stature but had a booming voice. Long before it was popular, he invited people of different faith traditions …
When I saw it for the first time, I cried. I held it in my hands and marveled. So much work. So much hope. So much beauty. So many stories. So much love. All wrapped into one book. The First Century of Service: A City Church by Dr. Linna Place …
As we approach the 20th anniversary of 9/11, I recall driving to pick up my kindergartener son on that tragic and eerie day. While the memories of horror are vivid for many of us, for others, including our youth minister who was only 8 years old at the time, it …
Most of us were taught from Kindergarten onward to take good care of our bodies: eat healthily, exercise, sleep eight hours. And we were encouraged to cultivate the mind: read books, study hard, explore nature and the arts. But these two wise paths did not necessarily intersect. Keeping mind and …
My okra plant only produces about one okra pod every two or three days, not enough to really make a jar of pickled okra or a skillet full of fried okra. But I still enjoy watching it transform from flower to fruit on its willowy stalk and feel a bit …
Back in graduate school I was taught that the preacher should prepare for a sermon with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. The image originates with a 20th century theologian, Karl Barth, who wrote, “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. …
