by Kristine Langley Mahler 2016 was filled with surprises that have challenged my resilience—an experience to which I’m sure many others can relate. As I reflect on
by Michael Wright In a discussion on kairos and chronos time in A Secular Age, Charles Taylor invents the phrase “kairotic knot,” an image
by Kate Reed In the most selfless act of love I have ever committed, I told my husband that once a year on Halloween, I
by Andy Zell I forget how I won the gift certificate to the local Christian bookstore. Perhaps it was good grades or perfect attendance in
by Karissa Knox Sorrell A couple of months ago, I went to a funeral. It was for a woman named Joyce whose husband had been
by Ann Marie Bausch Once upon a time, I was lucky enough to be invited on a free trip to Paris. I encountered the usual
by Kenneth L. Field If someday they take the radio station away from us, if they close down our newspaper, if they silence us, if
by Karissa Knox Sorrell When I write, I turn my back to the saints. We moved into a new home in August. With our home
by Andy Zell As I write this, we are expecting our fourth child in a matter of days. A few days before the birth
Marlena Bontas’s poetry appears in Rock & Sling 10.2. Of “I Slaughtered Your Horses,” she writes: “I believe there is a deep connection between faith and
Upon his Feast Day, January 25 by John Estes In Jean Cocteau’s film Orphée, Orpheus (the most square-jawed Orpheus ever conceived, played with pompadour by
Rock & Sling‘s Creative Nonfiction editor, Julie Riddle, recently corresponded with writer Dawn Claflin about what R&S seeks in an essay. Check out Claflin’s blog
by Cara Strickland I am the last person you might expect to see at a music festival. Although I’m a lover of live music, that
by Terra Ojeda Susie Meserve was born and raised outside of Boston, Massachusetts, but has lived on the West coast for most of her adult
by Sunni Brown Wilkinson When the Spanish poet Antonio Machado fled Spain during that country’s civil war, he crossed the Pyrenees in an old car
by Laura Bloxham When I was in grade school I lived for summer reading programs at the local library. If I read so many books
by Amy Rice com·fort food noun food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically any with a high sugar or other carbohydrate content
by Sunni Brown Wilkinson Mary Shelley penned Frankenstein after spending a chilly, wet summer near Lake Geneva. That terrain – the rugged Swiss Alps and
by Andy Zell Summer reading is the time to read books that aren’t on the list or on the table at the bookstore prominently displayed.
by Julie Riddle Once the carefree summer days of my youth (floating the stream that winked past our house, playing baseball on a freshly mown
by Amanda C. R. Clark People often tell me in hushed tones that they delight in book sniffing. These confessions are wrapped in happy, faux-guilt-laden
Summer’s in full swing. Here at R&S headquarters, we’re seeking out the shade and waiting for tomatoes. Summer’s also prime time for camp. How To
by Nick Avery Natalie Young is a founding editor and graphic designer for the poetry magazine Sugar House Review. She received her BFA in art
by Polly Hollar Pauley I recently read that Japanese ceramic artists think that an item that has suffered damage becomes more beautiful, and that when
by Holli Steinmetz David Ruhlman has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History from the University of Utah. His work has been featured in over 20
by Jackie Wallace When I was seventeen, I read a book called Paper Towns, by John Green. You may have heard of it due to
by Rebekah Bresee Ashley Roach-Freiman wrote “Red Bird Elegy” and “poem with a line by andrew freiman,” which appear in Rock & Sling 9.2. She is
by Sunni Brown Wilkinson The care center smelled on par with all the others I’d ever been in: musty and antiseptic with a passing breeze
by Andy Zell Let’s talk about Doubting Thomas. First off, he’s got a branding problem: he’s forever known as a doubter. He can never simply
by Kyler Lacey Gerry LaFemina is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College with an MFA from Western Michigan University. He writes poetry and fiction and
by T.J. Pancake “Any dog under fifty pounds is a cat, and cats are pointless.” – Ron Swanson It seems that in the world of
by Karissa Knox Sorrell In his poem “Ode to the Unbroken World, Which is Coming,” Thomas Lux wrote: It must be coming, mustn’t it? Churches
by Amy Hendricks What makes someone kind? Do they wear fuzzy sweaters and bake chocolate chip cookies all year round? Do they help you move
by Doug Sugano In my mind, this post is about a red hoodie. You may disagree, but it’s my post. My wife, Linda, and I
by Leah Silvieus In Xoxocotlán Cemetery tonight, the night before El Día De Los Muertos, life and death sit vigil together: families picnic while setting
by Tania Runyan Last weekend the “if-I-were-to-get-a-tattoo” topic came up again, this time among members of the church worship team, many of whom sport whirling
by Megan Hershey The first time I saw a Brio magazine was during a sleep-over at my friend Jolynn’s house. I was 12 and the magazine felt
by Kathryn Smith First, Marion insists I take her peaches. A few weeks later, the pears start falling, and Meredith and Blake hand me bags
by Laura Reber Her prophecy seemed a bit dramatic, but I noted it in my journal anyway, as Lord knows I needed some help with
by Ryan Stevens The word “twitter” used to exist exclusively as a playful way to describe the series of high pitched sounds created by a
by Jacquelyn Barnes I live in the collision between slowing down and being ambitious, between experiencing and interpreting, where freedom meets commitment. I believe in
by Karissa Knox Sorrell I live in a world where people pitch tents all time. I see them in their tents every day on Facebook,
by Shannon McKee I’m not sure when it was that I stopped dancing. Not with a company or with a performance group or in clubs,
by Heather Caliri I was a junior in college when my Bible study leader, Tina, recommended that I memorize Scripture. She pulled out a card
by Liz Mitchell One of my favorite authors, Wendell Berry, said, “The impeded stream is the one that sings.” I’ve been thinking about the dimensions
by Morgan C. Feddes church \‘chərch\ n. 1 : a building for public and especially Christian worship 2 : the clergy or officialdom of a
by Polly Hollar Pauley On my son’s seventh birthday this summer, we breakfasted out, per his request, and then spent five hours at a local
by Caroline J. Simon I sit cross-legged on the ground by the lake at Oxbow, painting the stump in front of me. I capture the
by Erica Salkin There’s a growing body of research about media and religion that suggests reporters struggle to cover issues involving faith. Some say it’s
by Corey Zalewski I slept in the middle most nights, Jeff on my left and Monte on my right. This night was no different until
by T. J. Pancake I took freshman-year health class as a sophomore in high school. It’s mostly about sex, which you would think 15-year-olds would
by Kathryn Smith Beneath my patio, a silent upheaval. Silent to me, though the ants hear it in their own way, a vibration humming their
by Ryan Stevens This year saw the launch of Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s Playstation4, which have currently sold a combined total of over 13
by Pierrette Stukes These two teenage, giggling girls kept appearing before me. In the ticket line, as my husband and I bought our movie passes,
by Liz Mitchell What if I told you the word revival is not as musty as we once thought? What if the word revival is
by Karissa Knox Sorrell I walked down to the church kitchen to make a cup of instant coffee, piling in sugar and chalky powdered cream.
by Patrice Gopo I. Spin, I hear my thoughts say. Spin. And so I do. My right foot steps away from my left, and I am
by Patricia Bruininks On my right shoulder blade. At the Missing Piece studio. These are two answers
by Heather Caliri Dear Ants, I swore I wouldn’t use poison. The kids, you know? Also, the smell of the spray gives me the heebie-jeebies.
by Katherine Karr-Cornejo Every four years I’m drawn back in to something that I love that makes me feel ecstatic and heartbroken. There’s an emotional
Huge congratulations are in order for Julie Riddle, nonfiction editor for Rock & Sling. Riddle’s memoir was chosen for the American Lives Series from the University
Many Parishes by Adrian Gibbons Koesters BrickHouse Books, 2013 Hard, dense, sometimes frightening, Koesters’ collection leaves me in awe of her ability and fearlessness. While we were
by Emily Dufault My first, or maybe second, tattoo; I’m not quite sure. Softly flowing letters, paz, the Spanish word for peace, a little dove
by Annie Stillar Dear Callie, Happy birthday. This is your auntie. You have several, but I’m the funny one. I love fish tacos and eyebrow
Rock & Sling is on the lookout for correspondents who’ll bear witness to this world–its art, music, books, politics, faith, doubt–and blog about it right here. To
by Rafaela Acevedo-Field Between the UC Santa Barbara shootings and the passing of Maya Angelou, these past few days have been tough. When I read about Maya
by Amanda C.R. Clark My friend and scholar Dr. Eric Cunningham recently wrote a chapter in Becoming Beholders (Liturgical Press, 2014), titled “Beholding the Eschaton,”
by Kelli Hennessey I have always been heavy. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t extremely aware of the limits of my body. I
by Lauren Michelle Major Have you ever walked in church alone? Have you paced the aisles of pews in the dark, walked the back hallways,
by Katrina J. Daroff A soggy leaf smacked across my face, leaving a trail of dirt on my cheek. I would have to wash my
by Miranda Cloyd Board: Unashamedly Laughed At This. Status: Public. Pins: 214. Analysis: You like to laugh. You’re easily entertained by well-timed pictures of animals
by Nicole Sheets I grew up in a church that prized certainty. Faith, I was told, was based on facts, not feelings. If you knew
by Amanda C. R. Clark, Ph.D. In the Sant’Ignazio di Loyola church in Rome, entire walls are wreathed with relics in a macabre tapestry. Stretching
The latest issue of Rock & Sling was launched and lauded at the recent 10th anniversary party in Spokane. Be sure to get your wooly
by Harmony Button One Sunday morning, my brother and I woke up early and, while our parents were still asleep, we changed all the clocks
by Stacy Keogh I’m not much of a shopper. Mother worked in retail for most of my childhood and insisted I keep an eye out
by Ryan (Flyn) Stevens I was little, very little, when Naked Boy came into being. He had no alter ego, because I was too young
Although it’s pretty darned wintry here at R&S HQ, we thought we’d share a poem that anticipates a greener season. Enjoy “Gardens” by R&S subscriber
by the Rev. Liv Larson Andrews Advent is here. For most, however, these weeks of December are not a separate season but are already Christmas.
by Patricia Bruininks Hope. Peace. Joy. These words are ubiquitous this time of year. Their meaning is fundamental to the story of Christ’s birth, and they
by Judith Shadford My response to running water is instinctive, right up there with my response to Wagner, Rachmaninoff, Charles Villiers Stanford, Harry Potter, David
by Maggie Montague Shalom was how my grandfather greeted us as my family was ushered through the door of his 300 square foot apartment in
by Katie Cunningham Left, left The plans are to meet at the Bon Odori at 2:00. This is a soft time: when your uncle
by Mackenna Kuehl Instructions: Remember to set your alarm for 6:15 am, the exact time when you need to go and wake your mother up.
We ask our contributing authors to consider the role of faith in their work, or in the pieces in our issue. It adds some depth
by the Rev. Martin Elfert The scar runs up my forehead, starting just above my right eyebrow. Perhaps half an inch wide at the bottom,
Those of us here at Rock & Sling are pleased as punch that our editor, Thom Caraway, has just been named the first poet laureate
by Jenny Brown For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you
by Kellan Day Go my children with my blessing, never alone. Waking, sleeping, I am with you; You are my own. This one line of
by Gregg Brekke Listening has consequences. A number of years ago, I was teaching in Micronesia. One day, Noah, the principal of our high school,
by Katherine Karr-Cornejo When I mention to people that I’m assigning a science fiction novel to read in a course I’ll be teaching soon, I
by Nicole Sheets I’m less than a month away from my own nuptials, so a chunk of my summer reading has been accounts of weddings
by Matt Comi Matt Comi: Tell me about yourself, briefly. Gala Bent: Mother of three, wife of one, lover of books, watcher of water, eater
by Erica Salkin This summer, I had the privilege of attending the wedding of one of my husband’s co-workers. The ceremony was held at one
by Gregg Brekke We tend to think that popular people such as Peter Jennings and Justin Bieber are friendly, international-border crossers. We ignore the OH
by Erika Koss During a 2003 interview, Baz Luhrmann’s motives were questioned for bringing Puccini’s celebrated opera La Boheme to Broadway. The director answered straightforwardly:
John Taylor is an R&S editorial assistant and recent Whitworth grad. He interviewed contributor Jeff Dodd. John Taylor : You’ve said that much of your
by Erika Koss “I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” American fiction is rife with characters who
by Tracy Simmons It’s faded now, often covered by socks or pant legs. What was once a symbol of pride has now become a branding,
by Erika Koss This was the question my friends and I asked, repeatedly, back in 1990, when we were required to read The Great Gatsby
by Alicia Peebles Less Sometimes I dreamed of myself as Puerto Rican, sometimes Native American, sometimes Japanese. It depended on the friends that I made.
by Jackie Wallace My dad has this library. It’s mostly history books, and books on various religions. He has a whole corner of the room
by Emily Grant Dave Harrity, featured in Rock & Sling (vol. 8.1) is the creator of Antler. According to their web site, “through onsite workshops, print
by Pierrette Rouleau Stukes “Are you a believer?” the veterinarian asked. My one hundred and two pound Labrador, Jack, strained and wiggled against his prong collar.
by Susan Vander Kooi I decided to interview Scott Kolbo, who made the artwork for the cover of Rock & Sling 8.1. We shot a few
by Matthew Burns At the small rural school where I’ve been teaching for almost two years, I’ve apparently managed to become known within student circles
by John A. Taylor I was sitting with Thom, our managing editor, watching a hipster specimen meander through the rows of booths near our table,
by Amy Rice and Janine Darragh Janine and I knew we liked to read YA literature. We also might have deduced (Barnes & Noble’s signs
by Ann Huston The first poem I remember writing happened in the middle of church on a Sunday morning. I was in elementary school, and
by Jacquelyn Wheeler I was at Grandie and Poppa’s house, its weird guest room with the rainbow bed spread, the baseball lamp, the plaques on
We ask our contributing authors to consider the role of faith in their work, or in the pieces in our issue. It adds some depth
By Amy C. Rice Networking is such a boring word. I am not saying networking isn’t useful or important, but the word itself does not
by Kathryn Smith “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. As soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know
by Julie Riddle “You have to go to considerable trouble to live differently from the way the world wants you to live. That’s what I’ve
by Nathan Hauke I’m given to write poems. I cannot anticipate their occasion —R Creeley, A Quick Graph It’s December already and the windows are
by Liv Larson Andrews I love the four tenets of the [AC] campaign: worship fully, spend less, give more, love all. I am glad to
