Is Community Service the Same as Loving Your Neighbor?
“We are racist.” The words came out as both realization and confession. Courtney was reacting to a conversation I was facilitating about...
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- Jun 21
- 4 min
Ready or Not: Navigating Life’s Transitions
Somethings are timely because they have a deadline. The sermon is due Sunday morning, ready or not-it’s time! For me, the moving van is...
- Apr 23
- 4 min
Moving Forward
What to take with us, what to leave behind. How do we decide? You may remember that my husband and I are at the beginning of a move that...
- Mar 19
- 3 min
Tiptoeing toward Change
As we sat on the deck of my dear friend’s home on Whidbey Island, over-looking the Sound, we talked about “tiptoeing toward retirement.” ...
- Feb 21
- 4 min
Is the Church a Business?
By Rev. Michael Girlinghouse The social ministry committee of a large, suburban church stood before their council to propose adopting and...
- Jan 24
- 2 min
"We Tried That Already" and other helpful complaints.
“We tried that already. It didn’t work.” I don’t like hearing that. But it’s worse when I don’t hear it, when I just see their eyes roll,...
- Dec 13, 2023
- 3 min
How to disappoint people on Christmas Eve.
The family service was over, the next two services had a different tone and a different sermon. The windows next to the parking lot were...
- Oct 26, 2023
- 3 min
Just Jesus, Unless...
“We need to get back to Jesus. Just Jesus” the bishop* proclaimed. The singer had just finished a rousing version of “Give me Jesus!” ...
- Sep 20, 2023
- 4 min
I'm Not Lost, I'm Exploring!
On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the...
- Aug 4, 2023
- 3 min
Telling Your Whole Truth
There once was a frustrated, alienated woman who had just enough hope to enter a forbidden place and reach out for a chance at healing....
- Jun 21, 2023
- 3 min
What to do when people ignore the facts.
My son disagrees with my doctor. I made the mistake of telling my microbiologist/immunologist son about my latest physical. I like my...
- May 24, 2023
- 3 min
But they said they wanted to change!
“I don’t understand it! They said they wanted to change!” I was in the middle of a conversation with a frustrated pastor in the third...
- Apr 12, 2023
- 2 min
If you want to change them, then...
My Dad bought a remote-controlled TV the moment they came out. It wasn’t that he was too lazy to get off the couch to change the...
- Mar 10, 2023
- 3 min
How to put the pieces back together.
What happens when a favorite pottery bowl breaks? In the states, we often feel sad and throw it away. In Japan, they use gold to bind...
- Jan 18, 2023
- 2 min
97 Reasons to say "Yes!"
When Joan, my mother-in-law, turned 90 she decided to say “yes” to any invitation. We invited her to go boogie boarding, and she...
- Oct 11, 2022
- 4 min
How to Recognize Gratitude.
Remember? It was March 12, 2020, for me. I was in Los Angeles having coffee with a friend, but a couple of things were odd. I picked up...
- Aug 23, 2022
- 3 min
Invite me like you mean it!
There’s a song we keep singing. It doesn’t rhyme and sounds a bit whiny. The chorus goes like this: We put it in the newsletter and...
- Jun 22, 2022
- 3 min
How to respond to "I'm not okay."
“How are you?” “I’m not okay.” This was not the response Lisa was expecting, so all she could come up with was “Oh my.” Most people...
- May 27, 2022
- 4 min
How to build on the hope of this “I’m not okay” moment. Part 1
“Hey Joe – How ya doin’ – you doin’ good- right? Hi Nancy- You’re okay – uh?” This was how the group leader greeted folks as they came...
- Apr 17, 2022
- 3 min
Maybe not the nicest thing to say---
Jesus was not resuscitated to pick up his old life where he left off. He was resurrected to new life. Resurrection is not resuscitation....
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