Give way to wonder

Worship

BAPTIST

CLIFF TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH / 125 Sunset Ave. / 214.942.8601

Serving Oak Cliff since 1898 / CliffTemple.org / English and Spanish

9 am Contemporary Worship / 10 am Sunday School / 11 am Traditional

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

EAST DALLAS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / Worship 8:30 am - Chapel

10:50 am - Sanctuary / Rev. Deborah Morgan-Stokes / edcc.org

METHODIST

GRACE UMC / Diverse, Inclusive, Missional

Sunday School for all ages, 9:30 am / Worship, 10:50 am

4105 Junius St. / 214.824.2533 / graceumcdallas.org

TYLER STREET CHURCH / Traditional Worship - 9:30 am / tsumc.org

Tyler Street En Vivo - 9:30 am / tylerstreetenvivo.org / 214.946.8106

Tyler Street Live - 11:30 am / tylerstreetlive.org / 927 W. 10th Street

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

KESSLER COMMUNITY CHURCH / 2100 Leander Dr. at Hampton Rd.

“Your Hometown Church Near the Heart of the City.”

10:30 am Contemporary Service / kesslercommunitychurch.com

Unitarian Universalist

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF OAK CLIFF / oakcliffuu.org

Sun. Worship 10am / Wed. Meditation 7pm / 3839 W. Kiest Blvd.

Inclusive – Justice Seeking – Spirited – Eclectic – Liberal – Fun!

United Church Of Christ

PROMISE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST / www.promiseucc.org

Worship: 10:30 am Sundays / 214-623-8400 / 2527 W. Colorado Blvd.

An Open and Affirming Church where everyone is welcome!

My friend Will is a banker. There’s nothing wild about Will. He’s conservative, dresses in a suit and tie on weekends, and he speaks with a wise, measured tone. He’s not given to speculation or fantasies.

But Will claims to have experienced a miracle.

He was born with one leg shorter than the other by about two inches. He endured special shoes and limited activity throughout his growing-up years, and as an adult he had pants fitted to match his legs. One day he described his condition to his pastor, who then asked him to take off his shoe and roll up his pants leg. The pastor placed his hands on Will’s ankle. Will said that he felt a warmth move through his leg and that he could actually feel his leg extending. He was healed, and he was going to need some new clothes.

“I’m not crazy,” Will told me. “I didn’t even believe in healing before that day. All I know is that I experienced a miracle.” with wonder, on occasion, “What was that all about?”

Something out of the ordinary brings forth a spontaneous, whispered, “wow.”

Wonder rests at the heart of a miracle. The word comes from the Latin “miraculum,” which means an object of wonder. A miracle could be defined as “a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.”

This prompts a question: Does the capacity for wonder open us up to the

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I’ll admit that as a pastor of 20 years, I have only witnessed one or two of these types of events. But the language of miracles is common in my circles of friends. Circumstances that seem intractable break open. The language of miracles can be applied to healed relationships, a long-awaited job or a successful treatment for illness. I hear these stories all the time among people of faith.

Even among those who claim no faith orientation, I overhear the language of miracles. “That was a minor miracle,” they say, or “I need a miracle.” Such statements reveal a recognition that there is much we don’t understand, and that the help of heaven, however unlikely, is possible. Miracles happen in spite of our best efforts to not believe. Even the staunchest cynics can’t help but think, possibility of a miracle, or does the miracle lead to a feeling of wonder?

The capacity to experience wonder is a miracle in itself. I suppose that part of experiencing a miracle comes with one’s perception and anticipation. What one person calls a miracle, another calls circumstance, or chance, or a natural event that may or may not be understood. For those with eyes to see, miracles abound.

This new year, keep your eyes open. Pay attention to the miracle of each day. And when the going gets tough, turn to wonder. Who knows? You may find yourself touched, warmed and even healed.

Brent McDougal is pastor of Cliff Temple Baptist Church. The Worship section is a regular feature underwritten by Advocate Publishing and by the neighborhood business people and churches listed on these pages. For information about helping support the Worship section, call 214.560.4202.

Bishop Dunne Catholic School

Contact: Charleen Doan at 214.339.6561 ext. 4020 or admission@bdcs.org

A co-educational, college preparatory school serving students in grades 6-12. We provide a strong faith and valuebased education with high academic standards, encouraging all students to achieve their full potential. Our curriculum emphasizes individualized attention, and is constantly at the forefront of technology integration through the use of laptops, ebooks, and our Online Education Program. Additionally, we provide a full range of extracurricular activities ranging from athletics, to the arts, to clubs and service organizations.

Lakehill Preparatory School

Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931 / lakehillprep.org Kindergarten through Grade 12 - Lakehill Preparatory School takes the word preparatory in its name very seriously. Throughout a student’s academic career, Lakehill builds an educational program that achieves its goal of enabling graduates to attend the finest, most rigorous universities of choice. Lakehill combines a robust, college-preparatory curriculum with opportunities for personal growth, individual enrichment, and community involvement. From kindergarten through high school, every Lakehill student is encouraged to strive, challenged to succeed, and inspired to excel.

ST. ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL

4019 S. Hampton Rd. Dallas 75224/ 214.331.5139 / www.saintspride.com

At St. Elizabeth of Hungary, our fundamental task is the education of the whole child -- combining learning with faith, Catholic doctrines and moral teachings. We introduce all PK3-8th Grade students to the integrated ways of STEM. This approach to education is designed to revolutionize the teaching of subject areas such as mathematics and science by incorporating technology and engineering into regular curriculum. Over the past 10 years, 95% of St. Elizabeth 8th graders were accepted to their first choice high school. Join us for an informational school tour and see for yourself how easy it is to become a Saint! Call 214.331.5139 for information.