Mothering God, For your creative, creating energy, We give you thanks. For groaning in labor pains, We give you thanks. For the tears you shed, We give you thanks. For the shelter of your wings, We give you thanks. For stirring our nests and carrying us aloft, We give you thanks. For feeding us and… Read More
Wits’ Ends Day: Summer Sermon Series
Well, preachers, we’ve made it through the high holy days. Our people expect certain things from us as we preach them through Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter. But summer is on the horizon, and for many, that means a chance to spread our preaching wings just a bit. We can move off Lectionary and… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Release to the Captives
In Jesus’ inaugural sermon, he identifies his mission by quoting the prophet Isaiah: “The spirit of the Lord . . . has sent me to proclaim release to the captives . . . to let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4:18). And while I am not, technically speaking, a biblical literalist, I have come to… Read More
Saturday Prayer: Trading in my resentment
God, I want to trade in my feelings of resentment– That I’m up early on a Saturday That I have a meeting to go to soon And then another meeting after that And a sermon to finish somehow in the midst of it all While my husband and daughter are off to the races (literally,… Read More
Wits’ Ends Day: What Not to Say
After a discussion with my clergy group yesterday, I decided that many congregants could use some guidance in terms of interacting with their pastors–particularly in the post-worship receiving line. Feel free to make copies and share with those who may need it. (Note: Two of these are borrowed directly from a colleague in the group.… Read More
Saturday Prayer: A Prayer for Home
God who welcomes us home, God who is our home, Thank you for the home we share on this planet. Thank you for our home communities, For our church homes, For the buildings in which we live and work. Thank you for those spaces where our hearts feel at home. Guide us in the holy… Read More
Wits’ Ends Day: Email Fantasies
Is it weird that I kind of look forward to opening up my church email each morning? These little electronic messages are filled with so much possibility! Maybe someone is offering a generous gift to the church or sharing an insight from Sunday’s sermon. Maybe there is an invitation to a fabulous event or a… Read More
Have Mercy
Kyrie, eleison. Χριστέ, ἐλέησον. Señor, ten piedad. אדון רחם נא (Adon raḥem na) Herr, erbarme Dich unser. 求主怜悯 Here, ontferm U. Господи, помилуј (Gospodi, pomiluj) Seigneur, prends pitié. Domine, miserere. Xin Chúa thương xót chúng con. Panie, zmiłuj się. Bwana utuhurumie. يا ربّ ارحم (Yā Rabbu arḥam) God of love, have mercy on us, your… Read More
Saturday Prayer: Hallelujah!
Dear God, It is the last weekend for Hallelujahs Before the austerity of Lent. So I should be shouting and singing: Hallelujah! Praise you, God! And yet, to be honest, I’m not feeling it. The snow is coming—again. The work has piled up—again. People I love are hurting in body and soul. The systems of this… Read More
Wits’ Ends Day: Ode to a Pastor’s To-Do List
How orderly the empty boxes wait Aligned along the margin, the sure Sign of a new day—an empty slate For marking “X”s, or checks if you prefer. Who can imagine what lingers there For a pastor to accomplish by end of day? It is a strange job we are called to do: To read and… Read More
