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Whispering with the Wind

Sharing a witness of Word and thought, as led by the Spirit. Let anyone who has ears . . . A Black history reading of 1 Corinthians 10:1–13A retelling of the Black experience in the United States by Derrick McQueen Last February, during Black History Month, I read this 1 Corinthians text and felt as… Read more »

Pilgrim Poems

If not now, when? Love speaksA poem about conquering fear by Rose Niles TheResurrected JesusSpeaksMainlyOf conquering fear—“Do not be afraid”Over and over—I consulted the exhaustiveConcordanceAnd this is trueAttestedBy all the witnessesWe have—Do not be afraidDo not be afraid—Every time JesusShows up to meAnd to us allThe greeting of all greetings:Do not be afraid.When we are… Read more »

We need more shepherds to walk these dark valleys

An essay on how to care for the victims of shootings—by someone who has counseled more than 90 families in 10 years Joy comes in the morning for trauma survivors. We need more shepherds to walk these dark valleysAn essay on how to care for the victims of shootings—by someone who has counseled more than… Read more »

TLC: Think Like a Christian

Seeking transformation through the renewal of our minds When to leave a churchSpiritual health, church decisions, and asking the right questions by Jeffrey A. Schooley I love Chipotle. I love everything about it. When the CDC cleared it of any E. Coli outbreaks recently, I was overjoyed—excessively overjoyed. I mean, it almost made my pastoral… Read more »

justleros = more than just nonsense or disparates

A space for a contemporary woman disciple to give voice to justice concerns in a world where some still think that women’s words are just leros (Greek for “nonsense”) or, in Spanish, disparates Lest we forgetA resource for Sunday’s liturgy based on Deuteronomy 26:5b–10 by Magdalena I. García “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he… Read more »

A Mote in Minerva’s Eye

Seeing without categorizing Global citizens and universal aliens Our citizenship is in heaven by Anita Coleman One planet. 57.3 million miles of surface land. 7.4 billion people. 59.5 million refugees and displaced peoples, of whom 51 percent are under the age of 18. Sheikh Yassir Fazaga was once one of those refugees. Forced to flee… Read more »

Reflections from the Frontline

A shared space to encounter God’s marvelous mission among all peoples Get your generosity groove onReclaiming God as King Merrymaker for Mardi Gras by Roberta Updegraff It is hard to imagine our Lord dancing in the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras, but I have certainly experienced God as King Merrymaker. God takes joy… Read more »

Souls of White Folks

A white man’s frank and repentant exploration of how racism finds a home in white folks’ souls. Change context, and you change peopleWhat I learned about the socially constructed nature of racism in the United States by going to Ethiopia by Jeffrey A. Schooley From December 30 to January 13, I had the opportunity to… Read more »

Small Matters

Stories of mustard seeds and mountains How the gospel showed up in a hospital roomWhat 80 years of church will do to a person by Sue Washburn I probably should not have had that third shot of espresso. My mind was going a million miles an hour. I paced as I made phone calls to… Read more »

Uncharted Territory

Stumbling our way into God’s future for the church Permission to innovateMaking the most of low-attendance Sundays    by Lisa M. López Year after year they come, as inevitably as the high holidays, though with remarkably less fuss. If you have been serving a particular congregation for a while you may be able to see… Read more »