Most of us were taught from Kindergarten onward to take good care of our bodies: eat healthily, exercise, sleep eight hours. And we were encouraged to cultivate the mind: read books, study hard, explore nature and the arts. But these two wise paths did not necessarily intersect. Keeping mind and body separate Read More...
My okra plant only produces about one okra pod every two or three days, not enough to really make a jar of pickled okra or a skillet full of fried okra. But I still enjoy watching it transform from flower to fruit on its willowy stalk and feel a bit of victory Read More...
Back in graduate school I was taught that the preacher should prepare for a sermon with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. The image originates with a 20th century theologian, Karl Barth, who wrote, “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret Read More...
When I was a little girl, my Dad and I would take walks in the park or golf course and pick up pecans from the ground. Then we would come home and sit down together on the floor in front of the fire and crack them open. But I only learned recently Read More...
On August 15, we are returning to in-person worship at our three normal times: 9:01, 10:00, and 11:00. You probably already knew that since we’ve been announcing it over and over. But what you may not know is that another “return” is in the works starting that same day, a return to Read More...
In her book Making All Things New Ilia Delio points out that we like the concept of wholeness. We buy groceries at “Whole Foods.” Some of us have tried the “Whole 30” diet. We try to do a “whole body workout” and we increasingly rely on holistic medicine. And Augustine, a key Read More...
How do we pray when life is not going well? Sometimes it feels like we are doing everything right but life just keeps falling apart. In his book Meditations of the Heart, Howard Thurman begins a poetic prayer like this, “At times when the strain is heaviest upon us, and our tired Read More...
Usually I write to you to share a meditation or reflection. But today I write more of a pastoral letter. We are experiencing multiple transitions in the life of our faith community and I want to share with you a few inside glimpses of what is unfolding. First, thank you. Over the Read More...
As the fireworks pierce the night sky with staccato bursts, we will again remember the birth of our nation. Those who signed the Declaration of Independence risked their lives for liberty. John Adams wrote a letter to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776 which said in part: “You will think me Read More...
Part of what makes summer delicious is reading. Whether it's time on the beach reading while the kids splash and play or resting in solitude on the screened in porch of your back yard with a glass of ice tea, summer offers a little more light and space for pleasure reading. Here Read More...
In many ways my father is very old school and traditional. For example, you put on a crisp white shirt and tie to go to church to show your respect. And he always opens the door for a lady to pass through first. But in other ways, my father was way ahead Read More...
After a year of too much staying at home, many are now experiencing the “go, go, go.” We are eager to resume dining out, gatherings with friends, travel, in person work, working out at the gym. Today I saw the cashier at my favorite new bakery and I said “I’ve never seen Read More...
His faith failed him. Though he made bold promises, when the going got tough he followed at a distance. Peter denies even knowing Jesus, not once but three times. In the cover of darkness he betrays Jesus, saying to the maid, “Woman, I don’t know him.” And Peter is left weeping bitterly Read More...
The true meaning of love one’s neighbor is not that it is a command from God which we are to fulfill, but that through it and in it we meet God. -Martin Buber Back in March of 2020 the shut down arrived with the swiftness of an automatic garage door that was Read More...
Mother’s Day brings a twinge of grief for some and a spark of joy for others. My friend will pass her first Mother’s day this year after losing her mom to covid. For some folks it is a reminder of infertility angst or a fracture in the fabric of relationship with Mom. Read More...
