by Jenna Pulkowski I love stories—books, podcasts, TV series, movies, WebToons, etc. I don’t discriminate if the story captivates me. Five years ago, when one of my friends repeatedly encouraged me to check out the TV show “Outlander” on Netflix, I trusted her recommendation and gave it a try. I was hooked within 30 minutes […]
by Susan Schneider You weren’t invited to the party, but all your friends were. Ouch! You got the letter or phone call from a potential employer that began, “Thank you for applying, but….” Ouch again! The church you’ve always loved tells you that people who identify as LGTBQIA+ cannot belong. No doubt, we’ve all experienced […]
August 2021 The spirituality of tension by Emily Carson How can experiencing tension help us with transformation? Read more. Faith reflections: From tension to transformation by Emily Carson While many of us tend to walk in the opposite direction of tension, Jesus offers an alternative: walk toward it. Read more. How to use Café with […]
April 2021 Lamenting together by Sarah S. Scherschligt What do you lament about the past year? Read more Easter lament by Ralen M. Robinson This Easter was different. And that’s ok. Read more. How to use Café with a group Young women are sharing community, maybe dinner and discussing the faith-based topics that appear in […]
by Sarah S. Scherschligt I lived in a rural village in Malawi, East Africa, as a Peace Corps volunteer in the late 90s. There, I experienced the power of communal lament. When someone died, the women in the community would stop everything and start to wail. They would bawl for hours. Neighboring villagers could hear […]
March 2021 The uncertainty of in-between time by Becca Ehrlich These in-between times are a real part of our lives. Scholars have named this in-between time liminal space: a place of transition, waiting, and uncertainty. Read more. Learning from Genesis: Joseph and liminal space by Becca Ehrlich Like God called Joseph, God calls us all […]
by Becca Ehrlich When I was an intern at a congregation, I took part in an annual tradition called Confirmation Camp. For one week in the summer, the local Lutheran conference would take over half of a Christian camp in the Adirondack Mountains. The students prepared for confirmation by learning, growing spiritually, and spending time […]
October 2020 Table grace by Emily K. Hartner Our thanksgiving tables may look different this year. God is still with us. Read more Faith reflections: Reclaiming gratitude by Emily K. Hartner How do we experience gratitude in challenging times? Read more November 2020. How to use Café with a group Young women are sharing community, […]
by Emily K. Hartner Do you remember how this year began? At the turn of the decade, we looked to the new year with “2020 vision”—a play on the year 2020 that I thought was clever at the time. In March, the future looked more unclear. What was clear was that a global pandemic […]