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Romans 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s […]

Don’t Get Blown Off Track

Young Families

April 10, 2023

Carolyn Hayes


The 2023 Souper Fellowship Luncheon was a great success with nearly 150 members of our GPC family attending. Because so many of you asked for soup recipes, we’ve posted some examples of the kinds of soup provided at that tasty gathering!  A special “Thank You” to each of our cooks who have kindly shared their […]

A Sampler of “Souper” Fellowship Luncheon Recipes

Recipes

March 29, 2023

GPC Communications Committee


As utterly central to being a Christian as Easter is, it is still a very hard concept for children and for many adults if we are honest. Below please find a user friendly guide to discussing the theology of Easter (or not doing so) with your kids. As often is the case, Traci Smith is […]

The Violence of the Cross and Children

Young Families

March 28, 2023

Carolyn Hayes


This coming Sunday’s Sunday School lesson is about courage. We don’t normally think about courage as a form of love because we get lost in the Cowardly Lion’s definition of courage, which is all about the superficial trappings of bravery, rather than the original meaning. Courage comes from the Latin word ‘cor’ and the French […]

Courage Illustrated Beautifully

Young Families

March 21, 2023

Carolyn Hayes


Sometimes several different threads come together and if you give them a little tug they become macrame. All the different things I read this morning were like that, the devotion for today from “Inward Work for Outward Living”, Teri Mcdowell Ott for The Presbyterian Outlook was about the fear of loss; the Sunday School lesson […]

Serving the Stranger

Young Families

February 27, 2023

Carolyn Hayes


Sometimes, the best thing I can do is share something that has been shared with me. The following article comes from Traci Smith’s Treasure Box Tuesday: Guest post by Sarah Aadland, Director of Doing Good Together’s Big-Hearted Families™ Program Our daily routines define our lives. After all, we are what we do day after day. […]

Inspire Everyday Acts of Caring with Family Routines

Young Families

February 21, 2023

Carolyn Hayes


Lent is an odd time for all of us. In the Godly Play tradition it, like Advent, is described as a time of the color purple. Godly Play continues that purple is a royal color and only kings or very wealthy people could wear purple and that it signifies a time of getting ready – […]

Getting Your Family Ready for the Mystery of Easter

Young Families

February 14, 2023

Carolyn Hayes


As Mary Austin referred to in the 2/6/23 eblast, the Foundational Essay for our study Make Peace talks about the small village called Le Chambon and the people there who hid Jewish families during WWII. “In their story, we encounter other aspects of making peace: asking good questions that bring your character and values to […]

Making Peace Sometimes is HARD

Young Families

February 7, 2023

Carolyn Hayes


I am NOT a big Elvis fan, so I was VERY surprised to learn that the lyrics that have been bouncing around in my head for the last couple of days were written by none other than the king.  “Before you abuse, criticize and accuse, walk a mile in my shoes.” The rest of the […]

Walk A Mile In My Shoes

Young Families

January 31, 2023

Carolyn Hayes


{From Traci Smith’s Treasure Box Tuesday, 1.17.23} Today for productivity Tuesday, I’ll be talking about habits. (yes, again!)  One of the things that feels somewhat “accidental” about studying faith practice is that I’ve also become somewhat of an expert on habits. Perhaps expert is too strong a word, but I’ve learned quite a bit about […]

Five Thoughts About Habits 

Young Families

January 24, 2023

Carolyn Hayes