These Christmas Eve resources were written towards the end of September following a tumultuous political summer in the U.S., and in the midst of a tumultuous election season as well. Not to mention wars, genocide, floods, droughts, horrendous hurricanes, and wildfires. Again. Environmental devastation, injustice, hate, division, lament, and fear… Read More »Christmas Eve 2024 Service
These are not ordinary times. We stand on the edge of an abyss. We feel the pull of anxiety, despair, division. Yet there are forces pulling us back from the edge – hope, community, solidarity, peace. The love of God, of neighbor, of all Creation. The love we receive and… Read More »Advent for Creation at the Edge
Advent has been a story of ordinary people in overwhelming times. Powerless people in a “power-over” world. Characters caught up in a story of destruction and oppression. And they each said “Yes!” to God’s call to change the world, to trust the vision of a new Creation, to love strongly,… Read More »Christmas Eve for Ordinary People in Not Ordinary Times
The Bible is full of ordinary folks. In fact, that’s who mostly makes up our extraordinary holy scripture. Ordinary people trying simply to live, and to figure it all out, in the midst of marginalization, fear, oppression, and uncertainty…of Empire. But also in the midst of hope and wonder and… Read More »Advent for Ordinary People in Not Ordinary Times
Nameless OneGentle breezeA mantle wrapped around my shoulders The embrace of God can take you by surprise, and can be so gentle. And yet, deep down, you know there is something more to the embrace, that there is a calling, something you need to do and be. This was the… Read More »Nameless One
What breaks your heart? What holds your heart? What heals your heart? This is a reflection on heart, and will, and holding, healing, and connectedness. The entire poem is in a PDF document.
Falling in love with Creation means falling in love with ourselves each other our neighbor And who is our neighbor? “Won’t you be my neighbor?” sings Mr. Rogers gently, looking straight into the camera, into the eyes of watching children, outsiders all (because they’re not on the set right there… Read More »Falling in Love with Creation
Wide open to the world, your love overflows. I’ll admit it, I’m really, really partial to dogs (I am starting to like cats a lot, though, but I am basically a dog person). Labs, shelties, goldens, chihuahuas, dachshunds – you name it. Days before the 2020 presidential election, Peter and… Read More »Angel Unaware
One Christmas Eve a few years ago, as our congregation here in Denver stood together in a circle in the dark sanctuary, singing “Silent Night”, I was incredibly struck by the power of a community holding candlelight and singing in the night. “This is who we are,” I thought, “This… Read More »Holding Light