Bravely Following the Star…

What would we do if we were brave? That question, raised by Rev Deborah Blood, the Executive Minister for the United Church of Christ in Maine, at the Annual Regional Meeting last year, has echoed in my head for months. Many of our churches live in fear: fear of the future, fear of not having…

Rebuilding with Faith, Love & Community

You can listen to the audio here. First some back story… unlike much of our Scripture, this reading is dated carefully and precisely, in 520 BC/BCE, according to our calendar. Darius, the super-power of the day, recognized the right of the Jews to rebuild the Temple, but the Temple work languished. Haggai was utterly convinced…

The Essential Ingredient

If you prefer to listen to the sermon, click here. Is there anything more welcoming to come home to than the smell of bread baking? That rich aroma that tells you supper is almost ready and not to worry, everything is going to be all right. I love to bake and the ritual of mixing…

Crying Over Stuffed Animals

These stuffed animals, placed on the porch of the house my church owns, the house that became a home for a Syrian refugee family till a short time ago, moved me to tears in a way that was unexpected, as I arrived at the church last Friday to make the final preparations for the community…

Cluttered, Clearing, Connected

The possibility of peace between North and South Korea… the conviction of Bill Cosby… 10 people, mainly women, mowed down and killed by a driver… many more injured… a calm police officer… the death of a Edna DeMann’s brother… a fundraising dinner… a Conference Executive meeting… All of these played on my heart and mind…