There is no safe space in the world. Not your neighborhood. Not your home. Neither the middle of the forest nor the middle of the city. Not your favorite vacation spot. Not your beloved church. No place — familiar or foreign — is absolutely guaranteed to be safe. (There aren’t really safe people either. “For… Read More
Wednesday Prayer
I’ll be honest, I don’t know today even if it’s worth it to pray. Not because of You, but because of me. Because of us. I don’t want to throw out some empty words, or desperate words, while feeling helpless. There is money to donate, protest to engage in, kindness to share, I know.… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: Peace, Be Still
Last night, as I was driving home after a church council meeting, the threatening-looking clouds finally opened up. I spent the last few miles of my drive in heavy rains with thunder and lightning. I wasn’t afraid of perishing, as the disciples in the Gospel for Sunday, but I certainly had renewed appreciation for the… Read More
Tuesday Prayer
Image by Sigurd Decroos via rgbstock.com Broken-hearted Friend, The voices of the persecuted children ring in our ears and we cannot stop them (we must not!) And we know these are only echoes of the myriad voices we have not heard over the years Refused to hear Excused ourselves from knowing about “That was then”… Read More
The Pastoral is Political
The road signs are blooming in our neck of the woods. Early voting has begun for the primaries which will decide who we vote for in the fall general elections. It’s been an interesting process. For the first time, both of our young adult progeny are informed voters. They are seriously evaluating candidates’ literature. Their interest… Read More
Sunday Prayer: Love & Mercy
God of all love and mercy, forgive us. We have failed one another — we have failed your image in each person and all creation. God of all love and mercy, surprise us. With mustard seeds, with wild dreams, with grace, replace our self-assurance with childlike wonder. God of all love and mercy, restore us.… Read More
Saturday Prayer – Prayer for Pride
Holy One, Today I was reminded again what I keep forgetting. That this kind of Pride, the Pride for which we march, the Pride we celebrate, has an opposite, too. This Pride’s opposite is not humility, it is shame. So we gather and we march and we revel not because we lack humility. But because we stand… Read More
11th Hour Preacher Party: Walking Faith
My congregation and I have been working with a group out of Houston, Texas called “Faithwalking.” They have created a leadership formation process that engages principles from Murray Bowen’s Family Systems theory, Ron Heifitz’s leadership ideas, Brene Brown’s teachings on healthy self, and other concepts for living a healthy whole life. What I love about… Read More
Friday Festival: Under the Surface
Our bloggers are looking at ordinary encounters from all sides this week, seeing the spiritual layer of things beneath our everyday encounters with people and God. Deb Mechler is reflecting on the power of spiritual direction to shape our view of the world. Recently certified as a spiritual director herself, she notes the ways that… Read More
Friday Prayer: Persist
Oh Holy One, As we persist we find the strength to grow despite the pain despite the worry and as one day rolls into the next, we can look back and see your faithfulness, your strength in our weakness, your love in the hardest places, and your promises new every morning. Surprise us again with… Read More
