by the Rev. Celeste Kennel-Shank Genesis 1: 11–13, 29–30 Plants are a gift from God. Most of us aren’t accustomed to thinking of them that way. But it’s there in Genesis. God creates plants of various kinds and calls them good. After creating animals and other creatures with the breath of life in them, God […]
by the Rev. Celeste Kennel-Shank Gardening as a spiritual practice, caring for particular pieces of earth and all that grows on them, connects me with creation. It opens up the agricultural world of scripture to me in a way that would otherwise be impossible for a lifelong city dweller. Though my gardens are at the […]
by: Rev. Dr. Ralen M. Robinson She rises not because the world made it easy but because her spirit was fed and nurtured by women who guided and equipped her for life’s trials and tribulations. She speaks because generations of women urged her not to stay quiet. Grandmothers prayed over her, so she had the […]
by Rev. Dr. Ralen M. Robinson “Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16) My heels echo off the floor, creating a click-clack orchestra, paving the way to the pulpit. I step onto the staircase leading up to […]
by Wanda Frenchman I am an Indigenous woman living and working in the United States. I am Oglala Lakota and Lenape. I am proud that my DNA carries the ancestral blood of many generations of Indigenous people; however, because of this ancestral blood, I am 2.5 x more likely to experience violent crimes and 2 […]
by Prairie Rose Seminole The red dress has become a powerful symbol of remembrance, resilience, and justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR). Across North America, Indigenous communities and allies gather to wear red, hang red dresses in public spaces, and speak the names of those who have been taken. This act of remembrance […]
by Andrea L Walker Lately, many of us have been feeling the weight of the world. I pastor a congregation in Washington, D.C. Many of my members work for non-profits or for the federal government. I find myself standing on a Sunday, my heart being torn apart because I can see the fear and disappointment […]
by Andrea L Walker As a new pastor, I was often questioned and challenged about who I was, where I came from, or whether I knew what I was doing. It was a constant struggle in a congregation that never had a woman pastor before. Of course, I had done my time in seminary and […]
by Angela Denker I’m writing this article about balance at 7 p.m. on a Friday. The dishes are washed, the laundry is done, and my two boys, age 7 and 4, are downstairs playing basketball in the basement with their dad. I’m not home anymore, though. Every time I sat down to write there, I […]
by AmyJo Mattheis Sin is the source of our wounds, and forgiveness is the balm that heals. As a Christian raised in the Lutheran tradition, I believe that our baptism is at the center of how we interact with the violence and brokenness of sin. Baptism changes the way we see the world because baptism […]