As I was preparing myself to get St. Luke’s nimbly prepared for the state’s new loosened mandates about COVID safety coming out on June 1st, I was caught off-guard by this week’s announcements that masks would no longer be required by the state when we are outdoors in small gatherings. The diocese has provided guidance: … Continue reading Taking it Slow
Then and Now
This week, our Vestry started the work of looking at who we have been as a church, who we really are now, and who God wants us to become. We began by having each of us remember what was going on in our own lives, in the world and at St. Luke’s when we started … Continue reading Then and Now
Growing into “Maturity, to the Measure of the Full Stature of Christ”
Ephesians 3:14b talks about growing into “maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” This bible verse has come related to multiple situations this week. I’ve been thinking about maturity a lot, and our call as Christians to mature more and more. One spectrum of maturity is moving from “rights” to “responsibilities.” When … Continue reading Growing into “Maturity, to the Measure of the Full Stature of Christ”
Easter Season Spiritual Practice
This week in our Lenten Program “Meeting God in Books” we discussed Abraham Joshuah Heschel’s work “The Sabbath.” We spoke about how even God needed Sabbath. And we noticed something more. In the story of creation, we all know that God rested on the 7th day. But one of our group mentioned that, in daily … Continue reading Easter Season Spiritual Practice
Both/And Solidarity
This past year has been a year like no other in our lives. We all have changed our lives in massive ways. And now, as the vaccine rollouts are moving so quickly, we can see and end to these terrible days. What we are moving into is not simply the way things use to be, … Continue reading Both/And Solidarity
About Perfection
We’re a week and a half into Lent. How’s your Lenten Practice going? Have you not done it perfectly? I encourage you to take any guilt or shame about that and hand it over to God. Guilt and shame are not the point of these practices. Attention and focus on our relationship with God is … Continue reading About Perfection
Walking on Dry Ground
As we come to the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, I find myself getting overwhelmed with emotion more often. I met with a group of clergywomen yesterday and we read a portion from Exodus. It almost took my breath away when I thought of this passage as a metaphor for our past year: “As Pharaoh … Continue reading Walking on Dry Ground
Prepare to Participate in Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday
Since we will not be gathering in person for Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday, we have creative ways for you to connect and participate. Please plan on driving by St. Luke’s on Tuesday to pick up your Ash Wednesday and Lent materials which will be available in the breezeway. Here’s a bit more information about … Continue reading Prepare to Participate in Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday
Carefully Choose Your Lenten Practice
Ash Wednesday is on the 17th. Less than 2 weeks away. It’s time to begin thinking about your Lenten Practice. And this year, it is necessary to take some extra time to find something that is just right. No matter who we are and how we’ve lived through the past year, we ALL are weary … Continue reading Carefully Choose Your Lenten Practice
Creating a Sermon
I know it’s not like this for all preachers, but for me the process of creating a sermon is rarely easy. I read and pray over the scriptures. I spend time finding out what other wise people have thought about the passages. I pray and write and pray and write. I often end up with … Continue reading Creating a Sermon
