What love you have for us, O Merciful One: the sparrow chirrups faithfully and the daffodil sprouts through snow, joy greets us daily with the sunrise and grace finds us every night. What love you have for us, O Forgiving One: that new visions reveal your relentless hope though the world is overwrought with war,… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: Repent
After the long season of Lenten contrition & conversion, with the celebration of Eastertide & new life in full swing, we can be surprised to (re)discover that our ashes still cling to us despite their redemption and our cynicisms still burrow in our souls despite the invitation to joy. Rend your hearts and share your… Read More
Sunday Prayer: Of One Heart and Soul
Of one heart and soul, make us: one heart sharing hope, one soul witnessing life, one heart bearing grief, one soul crying “Justice!” Of one heart and soul, make us: one heart bleeding in the street, one soul drowning in the river, one heart longing for freedom, one soul searing from separation. Of one heart… Read More
Easter Sunday Prayer
Of first importance: Life, hallelujah! Life beyond understanding, life renewed despite death, life growing and changing, life outside of time & flesh, life created in blessing — hallelujah! Of first importance: Grace, hallelujah! Grace unhindered by guilt, grace multiplying with love, grace to comfort our hearts, grace with partiality to joy, grace upon grace upon… Read More
Friday Festival: Holy Week Prep
‘Twas the Friday before Holy Week and all through the Church for sermons & coffee all pastors did search. Friends, colleagues: deep breath. The long Lenten marathon is rounding the bend to the steepest hill known as Holy Week. The Easter finish line can be seen in the distance, but the work to get there… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: The Heart’s Glory
“Father, glorify your name.” (John 12:28) What glorifies God’s name: our obedience to God’s law? our suffering? our sinless lives? our joy in worship? our good intentions and willing spirits? our submission to sacrifice? The Old Testament readings of this coming Sunday’s Revised Common Lectionary texts seem to be unanimous in their answer: the heart… Read More
Sunday Prayer: Forever Amen
Forever and ever amen, let there be promises that gird our lives and sustain our spirits far beyond imagination. Forever and ever amen, let there be comfort that heals the soul and endless banquets that dissatisfy our enemies. Forever and ever amen, let there be faithfulness that dispels timidity and an urgent calling that binds… Read More
Friday Festival: Updates
Once upon a time, long long ago, when blogging was popular and platforms were anonymous, in the days before 120 characters and “going viral,” a cluster of clergywomen & lay women & a few clergymen found one another’s blogs and developed the habit of reading & checking in & praying & encouraging through comments on… Read More
Sunday Prayer: Faithfulness
We would follow your ways, O God, across mountain and wilderness, through the floods of baptism all the way to glory’s dawn; We would follow your ways, O God, believing rainbowed promises, convinced of steadfast love, ready for your kin-dom; We would follow your ways, O God, hearts torn apart like heavens, lives in full… Read More
Ash Wednesday Prayer
With a sigh and a muffled sob, I set down my ashes: this fragile life, this frail ego, these vain illusions of all that I might do…might have…might be. With a sigh and twinge of regret, I set down my ashes: dreams I have chased, wounds I have clung to, fears that have crowded out… Read More
