In the first handful of months of the pandemic, much was written about Zoom Fatigue. It is much harder to sit in a day’s worth of Zoom meetings than it is to meet in person. All those people on the screen looking at you. Seeing your face up close for hours on end. So many … Continue reading Virtually Integrating
A Sermon for January 2021 | January 24, 2021
by Rev. Jim Craven In the name of our God-Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Amen. In over 35 years as an ordained person, I don’t recall ever having so much difficulty preparing a sermon, and I doubt I am alone. I pray regularly for folks here at St. Luke’s, for folks in prison, for … Continue reading A Sermon for January 2021 | January 24, 2021
Building Resilience
I’ve mentioned to you before how this pandemic has required that Kaye and I learn so many new skills that previously weren’t part of our job. Zoom and worship recording and editing and epidemiology and so much more. Now that we are in mid-to-late pandemic, in 2021 I will be working on learning a whole … Continue reading Building Resilience
Your Word for 2021
The Lectionary invites us to begin each calendar year to reflect on beginnings. The Christmas 1 gospel reading for every year comes from the first lines of John’s Gospel, “In the beginning there was the Word;the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God.The Word was present to God from the beginning,and apart … Continue reading Your Word for 2021
A Christmas Day Sermon | December 25, 2020
by the Rev. James B. Craven III More than 300,000 deaths so far in this country. More deaths every day than at Pearl Harbor or 9/11. A country more polarized or divided than at any time since the Civil War more than 150 years ago. Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas without the family. Baseball and … Continue reading A Christmas Day Sermon | December 25, 2020
Touching Foreheads With God | December 24, 2020
by Rev. Dr. Helen Svoboda-Barber There is something about this year that has helped me insert myself into the Jesus Birth Narrative. I’m bonding with Mary this year. I have been taking time for imaginative prayer and really putting myself in the scene with Mother Mary. There are 2 moments that have really captured my … Continue reading Touching Foreheads With God | December 24, 2020
About Mary | December 20, 2020
by the Rev. James B. Craven III Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. That prayer, which most likely … Continue reading About Mary | December 20, 2020
Advent 3: Hope
It’s Advent 3, the Pink Candle week. The week of Hope. And in my own life, too, there has been much hope. Here are a few moments I’ve noticed: Giving out Share Your Christmas to the families in our programs this year. I am so grateful for the generous donations from so many St. Lukers. … Continue reading Advent 3: Hope
Chronos and Kairos
Madeleine L’Engle introduced me to the concepts of Chronos and Kairos time when I first read her books as a preteen. Chronos is clock time, measurable time. But Kairos is God’s time. Kairos is where God can be both at the beginning of creation and with us in this moment at the same time. Kairos … Continue reading Chronos and Kairos
Advent Waiting/Pandemic Waiting
Advent begins tomorrow. Every year, I talk about Advent as a season of waiting. This year, all of us understand Advent better than ever. We have been in a time of waiting since March. Waiting for this pandemic to be done so that we can get back to our normal lives. But then, over these … Continue reading Advent Waiting/Pandemic Waiting
