Worship

Call to Prayer

One of the fascinating details from my experience in Kenya was the prevalence of members of the Islamic community in the area in which I lived. There were so many Muslims living in the town where I lived that there were four Mosques in our area. Even though the home where I stayed was a mile from the…

Waiting

Happy Little Christmas Eve. (The day before Christmas Eve. A Little Eve.)

Today and tomorrow are my favorite days of the year. Especially Christmas Eve. We gather together to worship with Communion and then we light candles in a darkened sanctuary. As we fill the space with light we also…

Slow to Heal

I really want to write something profound and spiritual right now. I also would like to be able to breathe normally and sleep in tomorrow. None of that is happening.

I want to take the lyrics of one of my favorite hymns to sing around patriotic holidays and reflect on it phrase…

It’s Bigger on the Inside

I wrote this week about Doctor Who, the TARDIS, and Eucharist. It’s something I’d been thinking of since my Commissioning interviews with the Board of Ordained Ministry. How appropriate therefore, that my post is on the Conference Blog the week after I was Commissioned as a…

A Confession for Veterans Day

God of Peace, Our news is filled of wars and rumors of wars, our families and friends are called away, veterans return with experiences that have aged them beyond their years. Forgive us when we participate in what tears people apart rather than draws them together. You call…

Surprised by Grace

What’s surprising is how sore my ribs are.

What’s surprising is how little I can do with my hands

What’s surprising is how effectively I can lead worship, without moving, ever.

Three Vignettes

I have now been to worship at Garden City three times. Two Sundays, that is. The first time I sang during worship, that night I worshipped at the Vine, then this week I went home again, and sang again. John was there, he came with me. It’s not actually home, not really; the whole, not have a home…

Turning the Tables

Shifting the ways things have been done.
It’s an act of subversion.
An act of denial of the system.
Jesus came in and refused to allow the money-changers continue to take advantage of the people of Israel.
What would happen if we came in and turned over the tables when we saw injustice?
It…

Facing

I surely could talk about all the school work I have to face right now, but it is not different than any other graduate student. What boring topic. Yes. we know you have homework. Just now, instead of the simple pages from middle school, I’m faced with assignments measured in word counts by the thousands. I’m…