John van de Laar is a liturgist with 40 years of experience in a wide variety of church, community, and musical settings. He created and edits the website Sacredise which provides ‘theologically deep and experientially inspiring’ worship resources and training for progressive churches. As a minister of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, John served […]
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Parent, Restorer, Love, affirmation — John van de Laar, South Africa
We believe in the Divine Creator of all that has been made, the Parent of the whole creation. We believe in the Divine Saviour of all that has fallen, the Restorer of our broken world. We believe in the Divine Life of all that lives, the Love that binds all things together in one divine […]
Read full textWhere is the Love? — John van de Laar, South Africa
Where is the love? Prayer of confession and intercession When we treat our faith as nothing more than a self-help system and you, God, as simply a cure for whatever ails us, Where is the love? When we use the gifts our planet gives us with little care for our wastefulness and destruction, Where is […]
Read full textWild God, talking to Jesus – John van de Laar, South Africa
Wild God – words to Jesus It seems to us that things would be much easier if you would just do what we ask, Jesus, If you were more compliant and co-operative, more flexible and adaptable, more open to follow agendas other than your own. But frustratingly, you refuse to be tamed, Jesus. You won’t […]
Read full textCall of Compassion — John van de Laar, South Africa
If we’re honest, compassion does not come easy to us, God; We see others who struggle; those without homes, or food; those dying from curable diseases, simply because they can’t get access to the medicine they need; those who have lost loved ones through death or circumstance, and long for human companionship; those who are […]
Read full textDivine Lover — John van de Laar, South Africa
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. —Isaiah 49:15-16a O Divine Lover, How relentless You are in drawing our attention to Your devotion […]
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