karenpts

“Tabitha, get up!”

Meditation on Acts 9:36-42 Rev. Dr. Karen Crawford First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown Mother’s Day May 11, 2025 I received the best Mother’s Day present this week! My husband bought me a pitchfork. To be clear, it wasn’t specifically a Mother’s Day present. But I am really excited about it. I’ve always wantedContinue reading ““Tabitha, get up!””

Casting on the Right Side

Meditation on John 21:1–19 First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown, NY Rev. Karen Crawford May 4, 2025 Art by Stushie, used with permission. Listen to the devotion here: Memories are a funny thing, aren’t they? They come in flashes, when we are least expecting them. That happened to me yesterday at the presbytery meeting inContinue reading “Casting on the Right Side”

Healing, Rest, and Sabbath

Meditation on Leviticus 25:1-12 Creation Care Sunday Final Post: Tell Me About Your Garden Series First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown, NY Pastor Karen Crawford April 27, 2025 Listen to the devotion here: I am almost ready to plant my seedlings! The weather is still a little iffy, especially with nighttime temperatures dropping into theContinue reading “Healing, Rest, and Sabbath”

The Gardener

Meditation on John 20:1-18 Tell Me About Your Garden series for Lent/Easter First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown, NY Pastor Karen Crawford Easter Sunday April 20, 2025 Listen to the devotion here: Our sanctuary has never looked or smelled as good as it does today, on Easter morning! This worship space was lovingly transformed yesterday byContinue reading “The Gardener”

The “Last” Supper

Meditation on John 13 Maundy Thursday First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown, NY Pastor Karen Crawford April 17, 2025 Listen to the devotion here: Jesus is with his disciples for another meal in our reading in John tonight. He is eating, again! Have you ever noticed how many meals that Jesus eats in the gospels?Continue reading “The “Last” Supper”

Palms

Meditation on John 12:12-19 Tell Me About Your Garden Series Palm Sunday First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown, NY Pastor Karen Crawford April 13, 2025 Listen to the devotion here: On Monday, though the weather was cold and rainy, I was outside pruning vines and ornamental grasses. Like weeding, pruning is one of those garden tasksContinue reading “Palms”

Harvest (and Share)

Tell Me About Your Garden Series Meditation on Matthew 9:35-38 and Ruth 2:1-17 Fifth Sunday in Lent First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown, NY Pastor Karen Crawford April 6, 2025 Listen to the devotion here: Yesterday, I had a dollop of raspberry jam on my oatmeal for breakfast. And I thought of the gardeners who gaveContinue reading “Harvest (and Share)”

Weed

Tell Me About Your Garden Series Meditation on Matthew 13:24-30 First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown, NY Pastor Karen Crawford March 30, 2025 Thank you to the 15 gardeners who opened their hearts, homes, and gardens to me for my garden spirituality research for my doctoral program last summer and fall. May God bless you forContinue reading “Weed”

Spur

Tell Me About Your Garden Series Third Sunday in Lent Pastor Karen Crawford March 23, 2025 Many thanks to the 15 gardeners who opened their homes, hearts, and gardens to me and shared their stories as part of my doctoral project for Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Listen to the devotion here: I transplanted my figContinue reading “Spur”

Sow

Tell Me About Your Garden Series Meditation on Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown, NY Pastor Karen Crawford Second Sunday in Lent March 16, 2025 You come to fetch me from my work to-night When supper’s on the table, and we’ll see If I can leave off burying the white Soft petals fallen from the appleContinue reading “Sow”