September 17th will be the first Sunday on which we again have two Sunday services (and two religious education programs for our children and youth). Worship and Religious Education will begin at 9:15 and 11:15, and Rev. Wik will be preaching. [Our Social Action Collection will go to support PACEM – People and Congregations Engaged […]
On Sunday, September 10, 2017, the congregation I serve celebrated its annual Balloon Sunday. We heard the story we called “Grandmother’s Courage,” and my reflections were an exploration of its message. (Although the story is not included in this post, I think the lessons are clear even without knowing it.) In seminary I was taught […]
I have always loved the story Leia just read. I first heard it years and years ago, and it touched me then. All these years later it continues to move me. One of the reasons I so love that story is because I am that pot with a crack in it. I know only two […]
A few weeks back I quietly celebrated one of the high holy days, if you will, of my own, personal liturgical calendar. August 8 marks the anniversary of an event that took place in 1974 – a young, French wire walker named Phillipe Petit strung a cable between the north and south towers of the World Trade […]
August 6: Give Them Not Hell The 18th century Universalist, John Murray, is remembered as saying, “Go out into the highways and by-ways of America, your new country . . . [and] give them not hell, but hope and courage.” He may not, in fact, have ever said this, but there is no question that […]
During the summer worship often takes on a more relaxed feel — we have only the one service at 10:00, and it’s a time for different voices in the pulpit. On the 2nd, Rev. Wik will preach, and on the 9th it will be Rev Alex’s turn. Sunday the 16th the preacher will be one […]
Augustine of Hippo once wrote, “Hope has two beautiful daughters – Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they don’t remain as they are.” There’s a lot to unpack in that, and a lot for us to learn. Rev. Wik will preach. NOTE: The church office will be closed […]
“I have never been able to accept what I believe to be an injustice. Perhaps it is because of this I am America’s problem child …” “America’s problem child.” That’s the way – one of the ways – that the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray saw herself … and not without some reason. Pauli was one […]
This Sunday we celebrate our annual Bridging Ceremony, when we recognize our graduating high school seniors, and both mark and honor this time when they transition from youth to young adulthood.
For Muslims, the holy month of Ramadan began on this past Friday evening. Ramadan is so central to Islam that it is considered one of the “five pillars” of the faith, and fasting is central to Ramadan. With only a few exceptions (which I’ll get back to in a moment), every Muslim is expected to […]
