Ash Wednesday Archives - Contents and Containers

Earth March 2, 2022March 2, 2022

How do you enter Lent after we’ve endured so much suffering?

It’s Ash Wednesday. The beginning of our journey toward death and the cross. We begin the process of dying to what we need to die […] Read More

Essays, Wind February 10, 2016June 9, 2021

Beyoncé’s suffering makes a difference, so can yours

As usual, Beyoncé inspired me. I rushed home after I was worshipping with our South Broad congregation to try to catch the second half of […] Read More

What’s with the categories? They’re all loosely based on Circle of Hope’s idea of spiritual development, utilizing the elements to represent cyclical stages of our growth in Jesus. The posts land somewhere in one of those growth cycles, but are certainly for everyone to read. Following Jesus develops like all human development. At Circle of Hope we see ourselves moving from earth to wind to fire to water in an ongoing, organic process of receiving and enjoying our new, true selves in Jesus.

Earth: Planting seeds of faith and helping them sprout.

Wind: Taking first steps of life in the Spirit.

Fire: Accepting the gifts we bring to a community and our purpose, and learning to give them.

Water: Deepening experience of transformation.