Contents

Bless Your Heart
Jesus' first sermon begins with a blessing. What does it mean to be blessed? What does it mean to bless someone else?

What's in a Name?
Christa von Zychlin
At our baptism, we are called by name and then given a new one: Child of God. What other names are we given over our lifetimes?

Transitional Communities: Sailboats on the Ocean of Faith
Kathy Fick
Sailboats have a lot in common with campus and other transitional ministries. Their courses are always changing.

Our Little Days
Martha Sterne
Our death, the end of our little days, is not the end of us, Our life in God is everlasting and full of laughter.

Bless You!
Sue Gamelin
How do we begin growing in our calling to bless others? We must fly a very important banner that makes clear our actions aren't about us.

Practicing the Presence of God: Morning, Evening, and Night Prayer
Julie K. Aageson
Most of us long for a deeper, more disciplined prayer life. The daily prayers of the church might help us find our rhythm.

Rooted in God's Rich Blessings
Esther Menn
Though our religious communities have developed distinctive practices over the centuries, both Christians and Jews are deeply rooted in God's rich blessings.

Departments
Voices
How Are You? I'm Blessed, Thanks
Audrey Novak Riley

Give Us This Day
Little Flocks
Marj Leegard

Calendar Notes
September
Audrey Novak Riley

Let Us Pray
Counting Blessings
Debra K. Farrington

Health Wise
Don't Be Duped by Drug Ads
Molly M. Ginty

Bible Study
Blessed to Follow: The Beatitudes as a Compass for Discipleship
Martha E. Stortz
Session 1: Count Your Blessings, Hold Fast to the Promise
In Matthew's Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount inaugurates Jesus' public ministry, and the first word out of Jesus' mouth is "blessed."

We Recommend
Resources for action, advocacy, programs, or further study.

Grace Notes
Journaling for the Soul
Linda Post Bushkofsky

Amen!
In Need of Blessing
Catherine Malotky

Plus...
Directory of Reader Services
Subscription, editorial, and ordering information.