Turn Up the Sad Songs for Advent

By Cole Hartin Advent is the season of longing, of preparation, of hope. As I’ve been reflecting on these themes over the course of the last few weeks, I’ve realized that most of the music I am drawn to year... Read More...

Summer Reading

By Cole Hartin I am taking my summer vacation late this year. My hope, when planning this, was that our province would be facing fewer COVID-19 restrictions, and thus the possibility of seeing friends and fa... Read More...

The Necessity of Pastoral Visiting

By Cole Hartin Barring the extenuating circumstances of the pandemic, if you are not visiting folks in your congregation, then you are probably not their pastor. This was a difficult truth for me to learn... Read More...

Jesus is Full of Surprises

Mark 11:1-13:13 By Cole Hartin My wife sometimes reminds me of Jesus. Let me tell you what I mean: Based on years together, I have built up a picture of my wife, Amy, in my mind. This includes what I ... Read More...

The Priest as Generalist

By Cole Hartin One of my fears as a pastor is to have my preaching considered “too academic.” I know there is a place for eloquent, learned preaching, but it’s not in most of our cities or towns. On the univ... Read More...

In Defense of Beautiful Church Buildings

By Cole Hartin Some of the most rewarding work I do happens when I am blissfully unaware of my physical surroundings. Psychologists call this a “state of flow,” in which we become completely enmeshed in the ... Read More...