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March: Mourning Margo

March 1, 2014 | Filed under: Church Newsletter, Pastoral Care

Beloved community, Imagine that our community exists on a lake, with some of our congregants lounging at the shore, while others are in canoes and sailboats on the lake itself. Some of us are in boats that are sturdy and well stocked with supplies. Others of us are in flimsy …

July: Staying at Two Services

July 1, 2013 | Filed under: Church Newsletter, Worship

Beloved community, We will be staying at two worship services through the summer months. To my knowledge, this is the first time we will try this (instead of moving to only one service during summer) in the history of this congregation. It is not unusual for churches to move to …

It’s Okay to Pray

June 2, 2013 | Filed under: Ministry, Sermons, Spiritual Practice

I want us to talk this morning about the spiritual practice of prayer. I want us to think about what it might mean to us to pray. And I want to invite us to pray together. When it comes to spiritual practice, prayer and meditation are the two big ones, …

Sermon: Being a White Ally: Lessons from the Movie “42”

May 5, 2013 | Filed under: Ministry, Prophetic Outreach, Sermons

My sermon this morning is inspired by a movie I’ve seen recently. It’s still out in theatres: the movie is called “42,” and it’s based on the story of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play for a major league baseball team in the United States. His jersey number was …

May: Setting Aside Armor

May 1, 2013 | Filed under: Church Newsletter, Worship

Beloved community, I write this column on a Sunday afternoon, after our Earth Day multigenerational worship service. I felt tearful at both services, full of gratitude and joy at the many gifts of serving this religious community. I feel particularly overcome, at times, during worship because I am so often …

New Year, New Focus for the Blog

January 15, 2013 | Filed under: Announcements, Ministry, Practical Arts

I started this blog a couple of years ago, mainly as a place to post my sermons. While in my parish internship, I began posting my monthly newsletter column here. And then at some point, I started actually blogging, writing for this invisible internet audience. This blog has never been …

Sermon: The Sex Talk for Adults

January 13, 2013 | Filed under: Ministry, Pastoral Care, Sermons

The following sermon was shared at the January 13, 2013 worship service at Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Reading: “To Praise” by Ellen Bass Friends, it’s time for us to have a talk. It may feel a little awkward, but I know you have some questions. And I want you to …

Five Steps to Silence

December 14, 2012 | Filed under: Self Care, Sermons, Spiritual Practice

Stop talking. Find a quiet place. Quiet your body. Slow your thoughts. Listen. The following excerpt is from a sermon shared at the December 9, 2012 worship service at Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation. There are many components to finding silence, yes? First is to stop talking yourself. I want to …

Dec: The Complications of Christmas

December 1, 2012 | Filed under: Church Newsletter, Ministry, Self Care, Spiritual Practice

Christmas is one of the most complicated holidays of the year for me. When I was a young, I liked all the trappings of my family’s traditional celebration. This included a gathering of 20 or more people, an extravagant meal, an excess of desserts, and many, many presents. As a …

Friday Just For Fun

October 12, 2012 | Filed under: Fun, Ministry

The Greatest Event in Television History.

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