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
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
Revised Common Lectionary: Parables
With what shall we compare the realm of God? It is like a dream that is out-of-season and planted for another day. Hidden away it germinates & wonders, roots & grows, until one day it erupts from its hiding place to bloom and be harvested. (Mark 4:26-29) With what shall we compare kin-dom of God?… Read More
Sunday Prayer: Simply
For breath, and wonder, and community, simply: thank you. For peace, and healing, and possibility, simply: please. For hope, and delight, and purpose, simply: amen. Rachel G. Hackenberg is a United Church of Christ minister, blogger, and soccer mom. Her newest book is Denial Is My Spiritual Practice (and Other Failures of Faith) with co-author Martha… Read More
Sunday Prayer
Delightful Breath, merciful Relation, generous Body, We celebrate the gift of the new day and the opportunities of community. With the tall oaks we praise your strength; with the winding rivers we sing the songs of heaven. Behind and before, beneath and betwixt, You are here. We pray over the mourning and the lonely the… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Entirely Normal
“Remember,” the occasional social media post urges, “this is not normal.” The raging rhetoric of an elected official is not normal. The militarization of police is not normal. The peddling of political & financial influence is not normal. The forceful separation of brown & Black children from their parents is not normal. The level of… Read More
Friday Festival: Prayers Upon Prayers
Whole lotta folks are hurting these days. Whole lotta folks are hurting most days. Whole lotta folks are fighting through the hurt, loving through the hurt, telling a new story out of hurt, showing up for one another’s hurt. Folks inside the church. Folks outside the church. You. Me. When we’re at work. When we’re… Read More
Revised Common Lectionary: On Earth as in Heaven
Jesus prayed: “Once in heaven I will no longer be in the world, but my friends remain in the world. I have been your word on earth; now I give them your word and the world will not welcome your word in them any more than it did in me.” (John 17:11-14, adapted) On earth… Read More
Sunday Prayer: Wilderness Roads
Jesus, dear Jesus, we are not always certain of the road before us: whether hope will meet us or hell will greet us, whether strangers might guide us or friends might betray us, whether your kingdom will dawn or the shadows lengthen for a while longer. Jesus, dear Jesus, on this wilderness road we long… Read More
Friday Festival: Places & Spaces
Once upon a time (as in, two years ago), I intended to write about book about the impact of place & space on faith. I might still write it, but in the meantime, I certainly continue to pay attention to it. Members of the RevGalBlogPals blogging ring are reflecting on places and spaces, too. Perhaps… Read More
