The novel coronavirus has gotten into my extended family already, and I was asked for a message specifically about living through this horrible time right now. The Scripture passage that came to mind first is Jesus praying with his disciples in Gethsemane, found in Mark 14, among other places. First, a word about what I… Continue reading COVID-19 Sermon
No, I do not really have the time. But yes, I will absolutely help with your book launch! I will show up to your launch events because I know how much it means for people to show up. Especially in a care-giving profession where the “ministry of presence” is part of both my roles as… Continue reading Of Course I Will Help With Your Book Launch
Sometimes during MN winters, cancelling worship is the right thing to do. Here's the sermon I would have preached, if it hadn't have been for the snowstorm.
God of love and promise, we bring our full selves and many emotions to this moment in the life of this congregation. As we gather for the annual meeting, we pray for honesty and hope in equal measure, that we might acknowledge to one another how our hearts are responding to a long-time pastor's leaving,… Continue reading A Prayer for the Annual Meeting in an Interim
I walked into a room covered in rose petals, with bouquets of roses in containers placed all around the room. My love - whom I had been dating for about 2 months but already knew I would marry - had invited me to the Medicine Ball, a fancy affair for students at his medical school… Continue reading Grand Gestures and Everyday Care
For the last month, I have been editing my book. I've added about one and a half chapters of new material to what I had, but the majority of the work to get my manuscript ready for its deadline has been re-working what I wrote last spring. This work has revealed much about my initial… Continue reading Editing
On October 1st (our youngest daughter's birthday) I received a book contract for my first book! Here are some details: Working Title Embodied: Clergy Women and the Solidarity of a Mothering God Book Summary Someone always needs you, and their faith - in God, themselves and the family of God - seems built on your… Continue reading My Book Has a Publisher!
(A sermon on Luke 16:1-13) Finally, he did the right thing. For the wrong reason, but Jesus doesn't seem to care about that. In this parable, the master or “lord” commends his dishonest manager because he acts shrewdly. And we scratch our heads, because… ummmm… I thought honesty was a virtue? Well, what if the… Continue reading A Turning Point
A local colleague who has noticed my writing asked me to put together a 45-minute class for parents at the church where she was an interim pastor, to start off the Sunday School year. In preparing a take-home sheet for them, I realized that I have a bibiliography almost entirely of my own work. Here… Continue reading A Bibliography: The Solidarity of a God Who Also Parents
This past month, we used gift certificates for (1) a cabin that sleeps 11-13 (2) a complete outfitting package for wilderness canoeing and camping and (3) an upscale oyster bar and French restaurant. Because they were about to expire. This odd collection of experiences can all be traced back to silent auctions during previous fall… Continue reading The Silent Auction Made Us Do It
