by Ralen Robinson The long table is rolled into the Narthex. The baked goods are artfully arranged. The coffee percolates in the coffee pots. The Pastor can be heard in the distance dismissing the assembly of people gathered Sunday morning for service. The aroma welcomes the people from the sanctuary to convene together for coffee […]
In her famous book on creativity, The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron writes, “Creativity is a spiritual endeavor. This does not mean we have to subscribe to someone else’s view of God and the order of things … we will flourish more as we honor the spiritual side of our own beings.” Honoring “the spiritual side […]
by Sarah Carson Lately, I’ve been obsessed with the first few lines of Mary Oliver’s famous poem “Wild Geese”: “You do not have to be good,” the poem begins. You don’t have to walk through the desert on your knees, repenting. All you have to do, Oliver says, is “let the soft animal of your […]
by Karris Golden There’s a moment when you know the Holy Spirit is present. But it can be difficult to pinpoint what gives you certainty. I have had these feelings — most often during prayer or worship with others. It seemed to me the others felt them, too: the tingling, the sense of awe, the […]
by Jennifer Hackbarth Once I was given a three-month sabbatical from my responsibilities as a pastor. Not many people have such a wonderful opportunity, so I was intentional about making the best use of this gift–this gift for which I was, and am, so grateful. I chose the power of water as the theme of […]
by Wanda Frenchman The song, “Times like these” by the popular rock band, Foo Fighters, came to life for me recently as I heard it performed live at a concert—one of the few that I attended since the pandemic began. It is also one of my top ten favorite songs of all time because of […]
by Ralen Robinson It’s okay not to be okay. The other day I was in Trader Joes getting groceries when I ran into someone I knew. In our conversation, they asked, “How are you doing?” And I responded, “okay.” Yet, that was far from the truth. I was stressed from work and had a mountain […]
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by LeeAnn Pomrenke Some of us are not built for giving things up completely “cold turkey.” Establishing more sustainable habits means that they have to be actions I can and will keep doing and be better for the environment. I know that thinking that my small actions cannot make a difference is an excuse that […]
by LeeAnn Pomrenke Much of the “Creation care” teaching I have experienced (or led) up until this point has focused on loving the Earth and all that is in it because God made it. Creation is a gift, and we are to be stewards of it. That is most certainly true. While that angle does […]