Posts Categorized: Uncategorized

Speak Out

Out of the Ash By Rebecca Lindsay   A blast, a catastrophic splintering that snapped titan trunks like asparagus in a cook’s hand— On that fateful day living wood shattered screaming as it fell, radiating outward from the epicenter of a mountain gone mad. Ash snowed, reigned, sifted into pockets, crevices, creating instant desolation that… Read more »

Wisdom Journey

Short speech. Short temper? Texts and tweets are better for expressing contempt, not compassion By N. Graham Standish Efficient conversation often elicits conflict. Compassionate conversation often compels companionship and cooperation. The question is whether we have the patience for compassion.   We are increasingly communicating in efficient ways. That seems to be the thrust of… Read more »

Reflections from the frontline

Nes Gadol Hayah Sham Finding the trancendant God in other traditions By Roberta Updegraff Advent is a whirl of emotion percolated in frenzied activity, yet Christmas comes quietly—often surprisingly. As it did in 1985. I was full-bloom in motherhood, our third just cooing—a perfect stand-in for Jesus in the manager, and I felt in control… Read more »

Wisdom journey

Rediscovering holy wholeness Material miracles and spiritual malignancy By N. Graham Standish Modern people are a compartmentalized people, which makes them efficient, expedient, and effective. But it also eviscerates their spirit by carving the world into secular and sacred compartments. Spiritual people are integrated people who consecrate the sacred in all of life, recognizing everything… Read more »

Unglued church

Let’s begin, again Rituals encourage us to dig deep By Rev. Sarah Robbins   I am a creature of habit. I love ritual and routine and the opportunity to experience something again and again. I feel like it helps me to dig deep and truly envelop myself in what someone has written, or created or… Read more »

Unglued church

Is believing enough? Acting in faith requires risk By Mark Roth Once again, verses from the daily reading of the Revised Common Lectionary fell into my lap at just the time I needed it. The writer of James asks: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do… Read more »

Not quite right

Speaking with Jesus’ accent When you speak, who do people hear? By Joshua Bower The other day my 6-year-old daughter came into my bedroom…in tears. To give you a little context: it had been a rough day. She wasn’t listening to what we were telling her to do, she had been in time out more… Read more »

A mote in Minerva’s eye

Patience and the Praying Mantis An invitation to pray for humility in the President-Elect and the church By Anita Coleman “Dear God, let me run toward, rather than away from, correction. Reduce my pride, increase my humility, and help me be malleable to good advice. Amen.” That’s a prayer from the book The President’s Devotional… Read more »

Writing in the margins

Cuba: Reality, Hope and the Gospel By Antonio (Tony) Aja This time we had running water everyday for the morning shower. When I first visited Cuba back in 2004 for the first time since I left in 1967, I wrote an article for the denomination where I used the unpredictability of having water in the… Read more »

justleros: more than nonsense / más que disparates

I alone A resource for Sunday’s liturgy based on Luke 18:9–14 by Magdalena I. García   The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all… Read more »