God, as so many of the ways we care turn to online and telephone, I feel “connected” to Paul, James, and Priscilla who wrote the letter to the Hebrews, beginning the church’s long tradition of remote worship and spiritual care. So I pray with the letter to Lydia’s church — Thank you, God, for my… Read More
Saturday Prayer
God, thank you for the way Lent captures unintentional selfies — not my face in tourist scenery to be remembered or registering (boasting) my presence at an event — but showing the shadow of me against my surroundings and the door into my inner self. Sometimes it shows my heart made of intricate knots —… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: A White Person Walks into a Bar and a Melanated Person Sings a Psalm
In the United States it is the Martin Luther King, Jr. commemoration and one of three hundred and sixty-six days this year to think about race. We sing “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” the poem by James Weldon Johnson set to music by John Rosamond Johnson, but I’m not sure it is good today to… Read More
Saturday Prayer: Winnie the Pooh Day
You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes. AA Milne God, take me on a walk today with my feet or heart or fingers across the newsfeed — not with my own purpose, (as if I have set my Waze… Read More
Saturday Prayer: Two Days Out
God, we are two days out from epiphany and my view is backside of a camel, the road is a blister-maker, the night-sky is cloudy, and I think I am going to make a bad decision. I know that being wise involves avoiding the bullies, in families, communities, schoolyards, prison yards, nursing homes, work places,… Read More
The Pastoral is Political
Playing in the Fields of Hope I’ve been playing in church for a long time, mostly with children, sometimes with adults. I learned a new game, “God’s Musical Chairs,” from Jeff Doucette, pastor at Enniskillen & Tyrone United Church in Bowmanville, Ontario. We are members of an online international church called CASA. God’s Musical Chairs… Read More
The Pastoral is Political
Breaking the Silence is not Breaking the Silent Night I spent a lot of quality time in Advent talking about rape. I was reaching out to congregations in the United Church of Christ to sponsor a resolution to come before the denomination’s General Synod next summer in Milwaukee entitled, “Supporting Survivors of Rape and Sexual… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: The Political Can Be Yeast
Many aspects of pastoral ministry are oriented in justice-seeking, in hope-phoenixing, in the hand-over-sweaty-hand work of healing the world. The gift from my ordination thirty-seven years ago I’ve kept longest is a folded piece of paper containing Marge Piercy’s poem, “To be of Use.” which says, among other wonderful things — “I love people …who… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: the Pastoral is Jeopardy
Many of you – I hope — know the game show “Jeopardy!” At least most folks know how to hum the theme music. In this Merv Griffin originated quiz show, contestants are presented with general knowledge clues in the form of answers and then phrase their responses in the form of questions. So here’s a… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: The Jericho Walk
The Jericho Walk is Pastoral and Political. “The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for.” Who would ever think that I would be quoting Louis L’Amour? I am on a Jericho Walk. I walk them once or twice every week these… Read More
