In the midst of the current immigration debacle in the United States, I have seen an uptick in quoting Romans 13:1-2: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed,… Read More
Sunday Prayer: Beloved
Let me sing for the Beloved, and let the Beloved sing for me: songs of delight and satisfaction, of discovery and renewal, of harmony and hope. Let me hum for the Beloved, and let the Beloved hum for me: lullabies of comfort and patience, of possibility and peace, of justice and love. Let me chant… Read More
Saturday Prayer: When Pastoral Duty Calls
When a shopping trip becomes an in-aisle counseling session; When a family dinner is interrupted by a needy text; When Saturday night out becomes Saturday night in front of the computer finishing a sermon; When the hair appointment gets postponed for a hospital visit; When a good night’s sleep is disrupted by frantic jotting of… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: What is God asking
This summer my congregation and I have been engaging a sermon dialogue time. We are doing this to help us all listen more deeply for God. To do this I ask them to listen for three things in the readings: What word, image, or phrase stands out for them. I ask them to pay attention… Read More
Friday Festival: Relationships Reconsidered
With honesty and tenderness, our bloggers are considering relationships this week – with God, with Jesus, with our stuff and with a lamented mother, who has just died. The hard work of stopping the rush of her life has Sally Coleman thinking about where God is inviting her to sing a new song. “I have… Read More
Friday Prayer: This Bouquet Called Life
O Holy One, I did not expect this mixed bag of feelings in my grief: joy, peace, bitterness, denial, hope, sadness, anger and dark humor swirl around me. Like a bunch of wildflowers, they each have a place in my understanding and coping. I hop between them like a bumblebee, afraid that, in my feelings,… Read More
RevGalBookPals: Bless This Mess
Do you need a book that gently and effectively melds progressive Christian theology with the (non-Pinterest) realities of parenting? Are you trying to locate your own parenting practice somewhere between books that advocate spanking and books that suggest wine pairings with your overnight oats? May I suggest Bless This Mess: A Modern Guide to Faith and… Read More
Thursday Prayer: Encouragement
We thank you, O God, for encouragement: for friends who strengthen our hearts by showing up to cheer us on, for friends who send gifs and thumbs up who wish us well. We thank you that this encouragement builds us up, makes us braver, makes us stronger, draws us on. We thank you and praise… Read More
Wednesday Prayer
I don’t know God. I am not feeling it, or You today. It’s me, I know. Here’s the thing– I want to ask You what the hell is going to happen with this mess we are in with the climate crisis? Not to mention, all the other dysfunction and inhumanity and crabbiness… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: Setting Expectations
“Setting expectations” is a tactic of management: both self-management and other-management. It necessitates intentionality in communication and reflection. It provides a vantage point for reviewing successes and struggles, relationships and systems. Unclear and/or uncommunicated expectations tend to cause strain and conflict. Enter this Sunday’s Revised Common Lectionary texts as case studies: Isaiah 5:1-7 sings of the… Read More
