Robert J. Elder has served churches in New Jersey, Texas, and Oregon during more than three decades in parish ministry. He was the pastor for 20 years of First Presbyterian Church in Salem, Oregon. Elder is the author of Restoring the Future (CSS), and his sermons and articles have appeared in numerous periodicals, including Christian Century, Pulpit Digest, Lectionary Homiletics, Preaching Great Texts, Clergy Journal, Christian Ministry, Reformed Worship, and Presbyterian Outlook. He is a graduate of Trinity University (B.A.), Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Drew University Theol...