Reflections on Advent: A Way of Peace
As we move toward the already-and-not-yet of Advent, we celebrate Christ’s birth so long ago even as we know that Christ must be born in us again and again. Countless […]
Taking Your Baby to Work
I am a pastor and am also a mother of two delightful girls. Most days I can make those two professions work together pretty well, but some days – not […]
Six Degrees: A Homily and Prayer Litany for World AIDS Day
Six degrees of separation. Some of you may be familiar with this phrase from a movie with that title. Some of you may have played the “Six degrees of separation” […]
It’s Not Too Late to Designate
Picture, if you will, a group of buddies preparing to go out and raise a glass to celebrate the holiday of your choice. One of the more responsible friends asks, “So, who’s […]
The Gift of Gentleness
For twenty-five years, my Christmas Eves remained much the same from year to year. My parents, siblings, assorted other relatives, and I would gather to consume a massive feast. We […]
Verve, Faith, Chocolate, and Really Great Shoes
You may have noticed that Young Clergy Women International claims to be powered by “verve, faith, chocolate, and really great shoes.” Some have asked, “Why shoes?” Well, I can’t speak for […]
Silent and Still
The silence of my prayer was replaced with the noise of the narthex. The hymns were sung. The people were blessed. And now, it was time to share in the […]
What Not to Wear
I love Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her books, loosely autobiographical—about a young girl who explored the West with her pioneer family—were the basis for games my friends would play during every 2nd and […]
The Pastor’s Bookcase
When visiting a friend’s office, I enjoy snooping through perusing the shelves. Sometimes I find something that is exactly what I need for a particular situation. Sometimes I’m reminded of […]
Becoming the Church Mom
Each Mother’s Day at worship, one of my first call churches in the mountain valleys of Pennsylvania gave out flowers to all the women of the congregation. The children came […]
