The Long Tradition of Desperate Pastors at Christmas

The sooner we accept religion is irrelevant the sooner our collective focus can shift towards restoration. Yes, I’m a clergy person, and yes, I think religion is irrelevant. When Christians are arguing about the color of candles, when to start Advent, and what candles to light, it all feels ridiculous in the face of a […]

Ten Things to Do for Christmas

It’s that time of year: Christmas. And as clergy, we are often tasked with making sure everyone else’s Christmas goes perfectly. Sometimes, that means we forget about our own Christmases. In the spirit of giving (and preparing, re: Advent), here is a list of 10 things to do as we get closer to Christmas. Whether […]

A Litany for Waiting

Here we are again: a season of waiting, a season of watching.  Here we are again: a season of wondering a season of hoping. 

Holodomor and Thanksgiving

Every November, as many in the United States prepare their Thanksgiving turkeys and make plans to gather around the table with friends, family and perhaps too much food, the world also commemorates Holodomor, the devastating forced famine imposed on the Ukrainian people by Joseph Stalin’s regime in the early 1930s. This dark chapter in history […]

Children’s Christmas Books for use in Worship this Christmas Season

Each year as Christmas rolls around, I take to the internet in search of a few new Christmas books for children. I have collected over 40 books throughout the years, each telling the Christmas story in a new way. Whether it is through playful rhymes or beautiful illustrations, whether it sticks to the Biblical story […]

Follow the Love: In The Neighborhood of Normal Book Review

Earlier this summer, inside my Consecrate Box (a ministry subscription service for women in ministry), I received a discount code for the book In the Neighborhood of Normal* by Cindy Maddox. I was instantly hooked by the summary:the protagonist is an 82-year-old woman, when does that even happen? Days later, I received my copy and utterly […]

Celebrating Halloween, All Saint’s Day, and Juliette Gordon Low: How the Girl Scouts Shaped Me as a Young Clergywoman

In the Girl Scouts, I’ve found a place where I don’t have to leave any part of myself at the door. In contrast to the church, which often adheres to a patriarchal structure, Girl Scouts provides a nurturing and inclusive atmosphere. I’ve never felt that I needed to be someone I’m not in this organization. […]

Cultivating Light (Cultivating Hope in the Climate Crisis- Christmas Eve)

Prayer of the Day God, you cultivated a world that is full of your glory. When we are struggling with dark thoughts and heavy burdens, when we are tired and weary, when we are longing to see you, open our eyes to see your light shining in and through our lives. Guide us to be […]

A Prayer for the Doubting

God of the Shadows, of the Hidden Places, of the Bellies of Whales, and the Recesses of Tombs,

Emily Rose, The Wailing, and Belief

From connecting with pastors over the years, I’ve discovered that there are a number of them out there who adore horror. While I haven’t been able to nail down a complete explanation for this phenomenon, I have found one recurring, resonant theme: belief.  Horror movies are obsessed with belief. It’s the concept we’re grappling with […]