Encouraging Words

Video lessons of faith
for challenging times

Since the COVID-19 pandemic first disrupted all of our lives in March 2020, the staff and leaders of PCOL have generated 97 short videos (through November 17) with “encouraging words” to help us through these times.

PCOL’s Adult Education Committee has been inspired by these lessons of faith, which can be useful at any point in one’s life – especially when times are difficult.

In most of the videos, the presenter refers to a Bible passage or another insightful source. In the listing below, you’ll find links to each “Encouraging Word” video and to many of the references mentioned within them.

We hope these links (below) will be helpful in your personal journey through challenging times.

Note: The Encouraging Word series is now on break. An Advent Devotional series will begin on November 28, 2020.

Date	Presenter	Description	Reference
03-18	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	“Make a life here” (while in exile)	Jeremiah 29
03-23	Rev. Kyle Anderson	“I was blind, but now I see.”	John 9:1-12
03-24	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	“Whatever is true … think on these things.”	Philippians 4:4-9
03-25	Jill Cifelli	An intro to PCOL’s labyrinth	–
03-26	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	Two inspiring acts of compassion	Acts 16:16-40
03-30	Rev. Kyle Anderson	Finding hope in a dream about dry bones	Ezekiel 37:1-14
03-31	Alison Young	A child’s retelling of the story of Noah’s Ark	Genesis 6-8
04-01	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	“For everything, there is a season …”	Ecclesiastes 3
04-02	Mary Hayes	“God will always unbind you.”	John 11:1-44
04-03	Rachel Johnson	Two friends on a difficult journey	Lord of the Rings
04-06	Jill Cifelli	“Be still and know that I am God.”	Psalm 46
04-07	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	Taking Communion in our homes	Luke 22:14-20
04-08	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	Laughter is good spiritual medicine	Proverbs 17:22
04-09	Rabbi Elisa Goldberg	So much to be grateful for … (Dayenu)	Exodus Chapters 3-19
04-10	Rev. Kyle Anderson	“Lean on Me” by Bill Withers	[Lyrics]
04-13	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	“How the Virus Stole Easter”	Kristi Bothur
04-14	Rev. Marcia McKillop	Signs of hope all around us	–
04-15	Rev. Kyle Anderson	Behind closed doors … God is with us	John 20:19-31
04-16	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	Reflections on the resurrection	–
04-17	Mary Hayes	Finding comfort through an unlikely passage	Joshua 3
04-20	Courtney Steininger	“Hallowed be thy name”	Prayers of the Cosmos
04-21	Jill Cifelli	Christ asks us to be his Easter people	Women’s Devotional Bible
04-22	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	What will happen next?	Now What?
04-23	Rev. Kyle Anderson	Trust in God	Psalm 16
04-24	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	Laments – putting our real selves before God	Psalms of lament
04-27	Jill Cifelli	Finding God through thinking of birds	Matthew 6:26
04-28	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	What’s in your closet? “Clothe yourself with love”	Colossians 3:1-17
04-29	Rev. Kyle Anderson	“A Scattering of Blocks”	–
04-30	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	Am I my brother’s keeper?	Chambers Walk
05-01	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	“O taste and see” the goodness of God	Acacia Psalm 34
05-04	Jill Cifelli	The restorative value of prayer	Oasis Ministries
05-05	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	What should replace “normal”?	Sonya Renee Taylor
05-06	Alison Young	Art as a form of self-care	Heartwood – Spell Songs
05-07	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	‘They’ll know we are Christians by our love”	John 13:31-35
05-08	Jill Cifelli	A video montage of church family members	–
05-11	Jill Cifelli	“The Secret Seed” – a prayer for spiritual growth	A Diary of Prayer
05-12	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	Thinking of the pandemic as a sacred time	Lynn Ungar
05-13	Rev. Kyle Anderson	“Heaven feels a little too close to me.”	–
05-14	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	Standing up straight as a spiritual practice	Psalm 112
05-15	Rev. Kyle Anderson	God will not leave us as orphans	John 14:15-21
05-18	Elizabeth Ferguson	Finding joy in seeing a groundhog	Psalm 149
05-19	Maya Ferguson	“I hope there’s a baby deer in your life.”	Isaiah 43:19
05-20	Quinn Ferguson	A badger’s story of overcoming obstacles	Stoffle’s story
05-21	Brent Ferguson	“Let no flower of spring pass us by.”	Matthew 6:25-33, …
05-22	Rabbi Elisa Goldberg	Balancing self-care with concern for others	Hillel the Elder
05-25	Jill Cifelli	The path forward is sometimes hidden	–
05-26	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity	The church in VUCA times
05-27	Rev. Kyle Anderson	Some Good News: Lawrenceville Edition	–
05-28	Alicia Morrison	“Be still and know that I am God.”	Psalm 46
05-29	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	Thinking of pets as a source of divine grace	–
06-01	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	We’re not all in the same boat	UCC devotional on Acts 27
06-03	Jill Cifelli	“To notice the sacred in trees.”	Jeremiah Book about trees
06-05	Rev. Kyle Anderson	Trinity Sunday: God’s love and peace are with us	2 Corinthians 13:11-14
06-08	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	What will things look like a year from now?	Jeremiah Ch 7 Ch 8 Ch 9
06-10	David Fox	Thank you, and an update from Arm in Arm	Arm in Arm website
06-12	Rev. Marcia McKillop	“Let us tend to our garden.”	Luke 12:22-34

06-15	Rev. Dr. Janet Williams	Making your mess your message	Robin Roberts
06-17	Tracey Gates	Personal notes “make this world a little kinder”	Proverbs 16:24 and 18:4
06-19	Rev. Kyle Anderson	There’s hard work to do. Let’s do it together.	Micah 6:8
06-22	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	Jesus lived to save us from our sins	Inspired – Rachel H. Evans
06-24	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	Introducing “Lights of Lawrence” w/Sophia Stio	Lights of Lawrence

06-26	Alicia Morrison	We are not grieving alone. God is with us.	Phil 4:6-7 Allow/D. Faulds
06-29	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	“Something sound … while we’re still around”	Romans 12:9-18
07-01	Rev. Kyle Anderson	Finding hope and encouragement in the sunrise	Psalm 46
07-03	Jill Cifelli	God is with us, even when times are complicated	Hebrews 13:8
07-06	Lauren Hoak	“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.”	Matthew 7:1-5
07-08	Rev. Dr. Janet Williams	Do justice. Practice lovingkindness. Walk humbly.	Amos 5:24 Micah 6:8
07-10	Tom Wilfrid	How to access any of these videos and references	The chart you are seeing
07-13	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	The gift of grace. There’s nothing you have to do.	Frederick Buechner: Grace

07-15	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	What I’ve lost – What I’ve found	“Make Art Here”
07-17	Jess Logan, Lauren Hoak and Darren Saint-Ulysses	“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”	Lyrics and video

07-20	Kris Deni	An encouraging poem and an inspiring song	Mary Oliver Geographer
07-22	Lauren Hoak	A song for when we feel weary	“Softly and Tenderly”

07-24	Rev. Dr. Janet Williams	Meditation helps us focus on the good	Philippians 4:8
07-27	Rev. Kyle Anderson	“One generation commends your works to another”	Psalm 145

07-29	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	Theological wisdom from the woodshop	Psalm 118 Genesis 1
07-31	Rachel Johnson	“Day by day …”	Lyrics

08-03	J. Vamos/K. Anderson	Announcing a video break for August	Reruns available
09-15	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	Starting a spiritual discipline	d365.org prayasyougo.org The Bible Daily Lectionary
09-17	Rev. Kyle Anderson	“You’ve GOT this … because God’s got you.”	Joshua 1 Isaiah 41 Matthew 6 Philippians 4
09-22	Jill Cifelli	An invitation to stay curious	A related article
09-24	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	What spills out of your cup when you’re jostled?	Psalm 23 Galatians 5
09-29	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	“Seek the light …”	Thomas Merton’s vision

10-01	Alicia Morrison	The gift of goldenrod	2 Corinthians 5:21
10-06	Rev. Dr. Janet Williams	The perspective of abundance	Psalm 23
10-08	Elise Bates Russell	From Camp Johnsonburg: How blessed we are!	Camp Johnsonburg
10-13	Rev. Dr. Louise Johnson	Sleepless nights? Take it to the Lord in prayer.	Psalm 77
10-15	Alicia Morrison	The children of our church need you	Children’s Sabbath Deuteronomy 29
10-20	Rev. Dr. Jeff Vamos	Hoping to see each other’s faces	Genesis 32