Let’s Go Camping

October 6, 2019

Good morning! Our passage this morning is probably one you recognize- it’s used a lot when we talk about stewardship and money, and usually results in a lot of guilt and people not making eye contact with the preacher. But today, instead of heaping shame and guilt on your heads, let’s go camping. Shall we? […]

Take Hold of the Life that Really is Life

September 29, 2019

Contentment & change. Ambition & generosity. The wisdom of the ways of tradition and the reforming movement of the Spirit. These tensions come to mind for me almost every autumn. The start of the school year, the beginning of a new choir season, the anticipation of new episodes of my favorite Netflix shows like the […]

When We Hurt

September 22, 2019

I can still hear Pastor Beth’s refrain; “Get ready to experience life exponentially.” Pastor Beth, My field-ed supervisor in South Brunswick New Jersey, taught me that, when you are part of a community, you experience life exponentially; you experience the excitement of new love over and over again through others, you struggle with the […]

Finding Ourselves Home

September 15, 2019

I couldn’t tell you what made me feel at home. Maybe it was the sound of the waves against the pink Mull granite, or the smell of the wood stove. Maybe it was the candlelight against the white-washed stone walls, or the smell of scones with Black Currant jam in the Common Room of the […]

God’s Pursuit of us Through Wisdom

September 1, 2019

Growing up, my childhood Pastor, Tom Nelson, loved leading our confirmation class. As we gathered in our Neon Green youth group room, in overstuffed, indestructible couches, Pastor Tom shared how beautiful of a gift it was to take time away to learn, discern, and grow in wisdom. For those of you who didn’t grow […]

The Tent of the Meeting

August 18, 2019

“Why aren’t the kids from the Rio Grande Valley coming to Mo Ranch for camp?” It was a simple enough question that the camp staff thought they probably already knew the answer too. Was the cost of camp too high? Were the kids too busy with sports and summer jobs to take a week to […]

The Story of Daniel

August 11, 2019

Opening prayer: Dear Jesus, We are your instruments. Help us to play the music of compassion, love, understanding and perseverance. Remind us often that whatever we do for the least of our brothers and sisters it is the same as doing it for you. Amen One Sunday last October, I was driving […]

Who was I that I Could Hinder God?

July 28, 2019

“You are family now.” It was our last day of day camp in the Woodbourne-McCabe neighborhood, and Miss Phillis was reflecting on the week. There had been challenges, but also the growth of relationships with the children and parents of the community. Miss Phillis wanted to make sure we knew that we were more than […]

What God Has Made Clean

July 7, 2019

As someone who cares deeply about the welfare of children, hearing about the inhuman and reprehensible conditions child refugee seekers are experiencing at our southern border has shaken me to my core. Children continue to be separated from their parents, and held illegally for more than 72 hours, instead of being released to family members […]

This, Only Gets You This

June 30, 2019

Life at our house can be interesting at times. A unique blend of immaturity and revenge. For absolutely no reason other than channeling my inner little boy I would hide behind a piece of furniture or a wall waiting for Carol to walk by and when she did…well, jump our and scare her. At no […]