It’s Easter Sunday and the title comes from a poem by the Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein in which she lays out what we need do to “resurrect the whole human communion that Jesus dreamed.” She says “The stone has got to be rolled back from the tomb again and again every year. Roll up your […]
Even though we tend to focus on it as if it were a fragile dualism or threshold between either whole or broken; wholeness is not one or the other, but a more robust, resilient wholeness within wholeness to be recovered, re-imagined and reformed over and over again. Parker Palmer reminds us that wholeness is about […]
Swords to Ploughshares, Spears to Pruning Hooks The message provides an overview of the proliferation of weapons and tendency toward gun violence, and what we can do in a proactive way to combat this philosophy and trend. Rev. Michael Cleland has over 30 years of pastoral experience in established local churches as a settled pastor […]
Marc Mullinax returns to speak about scarcity and abundance. Our world is built on the thin fictions of scarcity. Advertising, religion, athletics, maybe even your boss grabs your attention by making you feel like there’s not enough to go around, that only one team or person wins, or there are not enough resources, or room […]
Dreaming sounds so spiritual. Building a foundation might seem boring and obligatory. Changing can be terrifying. I’m pretty sure when that caterpillar is wrapping herself in her cocoon, she’s wondering why the heck she’s compelled to do that. Luckily, we are not alone in our change. We have each other. You are important to this […]
Here you are: poised for the journey to the there you want to become. But the there’s there are different than they’ve been; more vital and needed than ever but less obvious. People increasingly don’t want “church” but yearn for the connection, comfort and challenge of larger orientation and meaning that “strengthens their hearts, lifts […]
This month’s theme of Journey couldn’t be more appropriate. We each have a collection of journeys that make up our lives. Our spiritual journey of meaning and orientation is one of the central ones. This congregation has its collection as well. In this time of transition, reflection and opportunity, let’s remember some of our life […]
Faith is a useful concept for me because I understand it not as an assent to propositions I cannot prove, but as a word of meaning – life meaning (or kind-ing) orientation. It is built through experience and practice and tested insight. Worthy faith is meaning you can trust. You live in it and are […]
“Being an ally with those who are marginalized and disenfranchised” in whatever way is not something you get to declare; it must be earned and bequeathed. It requires learning and understanding and the building of trust. It is something to become. February is Black History month. To become an ally, one must continue to show […]
February’s Soul Matters materials on Trust propose writing “a love letter to life” at the end of each day as a “daily reminder [of] why life is trustworthy.” Do you really believe life is trustworthy? What does that mean? See if taking the time to put in to words what you’ve loved about your day […]