Posts

Consider the Plants, Week 8: Grass

Prayer of the Day God of abundance, You provide all that we need. Thank you for your gifts of bread and fish, grass and grain, care and rest. Give us eyes to recognize all that you have given us, and turn us into a generous people, willing to share what we have with joy and […]

Consider the Plants, Week 7: The Mustard Seed

Prayer of the Day God of all growth, you nurture the seeds of our love and joy and make us co-workers in your kingdom. Give us strength to open and grow in your abundant love, that we might contribute to a world where all are fed, sheltered, and nurtured. In the name of Jesus, who […]

Consider the Plants, Week 6: Weeds Among the Wheat

Prayer of the Day O God of all beings, open our hearts to the beauty of your creation. Where we are called to grow, nourish us. Where we are tempted to judge, chasten our impulses. Give us courage, strength, and wisdom to support the flourishing of all beings whom you have created and called good. […]

Consider the Plants, Week 5: When Seeds Take Root

Introduction I first heard about Suzanne Simard’s Mothering Tree book on the On Being podcast where she was interviewed. In this interview, she described the wisdom that exists deep in the woods. Her research had uncovered that not only do trees communicate with each other through an underground root system using mycelium, but also they […]

Consider the Plants, Week 4: Consider the Fig Tree

Prayer Loving One, Maker of Trees and Blossoms, Song and Fragrance, help us see in the natural world around us signs of your presence and possibility.  Give us courage to praise you though the fruit we see now may only be half-formed on the branch.

Consider the Plants, Week 3: Sacrifice Caught in a Thicket

Prayer of the Day Oh God-who-sees us in all our extremity and need. Open our eyes to see your provision and grace, even when it requires us to turn around and look into the thorny and prickly places. Remind us that you are no stranger to sacrifice and pain. May our seeing lead to trust […]

Consider the Plants, Week 2: Ishmael Under a Bush

Prayer of the Day God of All Creation, we thank you for the companionship of plants throughout our lives. In times of distress, give us the courage to cry out. Give us faith to remember that God is listening and will show us a way through our wilderness. We offer our prayers in the promise […]

Consider the Plants, Week 1 : The Oaks of Mamre

Introduction Last spring, I read Debbie Blue’s book Consider the Birds.1 Each chapter explores one kind of bird – its diet, its habitat, its cultural significance, its vulnerabilities. It also explores what it might have to teach us about God on the move in the world and amidst our humanity. I loved digging into supposedly […]

Famous Last Words, Part 4

“Famous Last Words” is a 4-week sermon series exploring the final words of various books of the Bible. In our fourth and final week, we look at the ending of the end of the Bible: the Book of Revelation. Although not always popular with pastors, Revelation tends to be very popular with your average run-of-the-mill […]

Famous Last Words, Part 3

“Famous Last Words” is a 4-week sermon series exploring the final words of four different books in the Bible. This week, we turn our attention to the book of Hosea, a resilient prophet who has spent his life enacting the relationship between God and God’s people. After harsh language and deep judgment, the book’s final […]