Posts

Lessons We Can Learn from Wakanda

My flight has safely landed back into town after visiting Wakanda – the mythical and majestic homeland revealed in the film Black Panther – a journey that left me mesmerized. I was immediately pulled into the world of Wakanda, with its technological advancements, beautiful African fashions, futuristic architecture, and tribal rituals so intense that, when […]

Fungibility: A Vocabulary Lesson for White People

The nerd force has always been strong with me. When other kids were competing in sports events over the weekends, I was competing in storytelling contests to see who could recite a story from memory with the most accurate detail. Middle school found me occupied with a group called Future Problem Solvers, who were given […]

Striving for Justice and Peace Among All People: Advocacy, Activism, and the Baptismal Covenant

During Baptisms, Easter and other special occasions in The Episcopal Church, churchgoers are asked eight questions known as The Baptismal Covenant. It begins as a statement of faith laid out in straightforward question and answer style with questions aren’t all that questionable. Do you believe in God? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son […]

The Messiness of Microaggressions

1 Corinthians 12:12, 26 NRSV For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.   Hey there, […]

Friend, Move Up Higher

A sermon on Luke 4:1, 7-14, by Elsa A. Peters I can’t remember which member of the search committee said it. But I definitely remember their words: “Now that you are moving to Portland, no more Starbucks.”  And it’s true. There are so many locally owned coffee shops in Portland…  But I have to confess. […]

Becoming a Sanctuary Church

“Immigrants and Refugees Welcome.” In resistance to the Executive Order banning refugees from seven majority Muslim countries and discriminating against Muslims, those have been the words on our sermon boards on both sides of our church. Until the Executive ban is fully rescinded, until ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is no longer directed to raid […]

Bricks Without Straw: Hidden Figures, Young Clergy Women, and Intersectionality

I have been excited to see Hidden Figures for months. The trailer gave me deeply satisfied laughter, hope, and inspiration. The poster gave me goosebumps. I knew I was going to love this movie from the moment I learned that it existed. It exceeded my expectations. Hidden Figures tells the story of Katherine Goble Johnson […]

A Message to the Margins: An Election Lamentation and Call to Action

The United States of America has elected Donald Trump its next president. It’s sinking in as I type that. We (the royal “we”) elected Donald Trump, a beloved child of the Most High God. We elected a man who has painted immigrants, migrants, and refugees with the broad brushes of “rapist,” “drug dealer,” and “terrorist.” […]

A Prayer for My Sons

A Prayer for My Sons: God, protect them. Protect them from ignorance of their privilege and the advantages they will have as white men. Protect them from entitlement. Protect them from being indoctrinated into a system of white, male violence against women and against people of color. Protect them from the temptation to stay silent […]

#Baltimore: Reflections from a White, Feminist, Queer Freedom Fighter

I didn’t give it a second thought. Of course I would join my co-pastors and other folks from the Slate Project* in marching for justice for Freddie Gray. It was Saturday April 25th. People had been peacefully marching in protest throughout Baltimore all week. I was glad to have this opportunity to join them, to […]