Every Day’s a School Day: What We’re Learning in a Global Pandemic Part Three The leaders of the Presbytery of Wabash Valley are without a doubt some of the most creative, thoughtful and resilient people who are working well to maintain worship, mission, pastoral care and visionary leadership in this time. I asked a number of ruling elders and … Read More
If I had to choose…
Choosing a favorite book is like asking me if I have a favorite child, or when I was a pastor, if I had a favorite church member. Nope. Not happening. Can’t do it. I’ve written before that books have always been this only child’s siblings. I read a lot and I read widely. I guess you’d say that I have … Read More
Every Day’s a School Day: What a global pandemic is teaching us (part 2)
I emailed and asked our congregational or presbytery leaders just one question: “What are you learning in this season?” I was thrilled to receive so many responses. Part one of this series was about what our leaders have been learning about technology and its power to connect us and confound us. As one who watches multiple services from around the … Read More
Every Day’s a School Day: What Ministry in a Global Pandemic is Teaching Us
Part One: Technology I have regular, daily conversations with church leaders who are finding their way in this unusual and challenging time. Most of them cite how hard it is to know if the decisions they are making with their sessions and others are the right ones. Most of them find the wide range of opinions about opening or closing … Read More
Tikkun Olam
In Jewish teachings, the Hebrew words tikkun olam signify any activity that improves the world, bringing it closer to the harmonious state for which it was created. I think, literally, the Hebrew means “the healing of the world.” Imagine that, for just a minute. Imagine making choices, big and small, all day long, that would improve our little corner of … Read More
A Holy Heartbeat
I had fifteen ideas for blog posts tumbling around in my head and now they are gone. (Note to self: write them down.) This week has been a bit more complicated by having to re-set and re-group because a congregation’s plans changed, a candidate discerned a calling to another place, an appointment was a no-show, and a loved … Read More
Grace and Gratitude
It feels like it’s day 1,275 of the pandemic. So much of what brings us joy, and so much of what we seek to share when times are difficult are unavailable to us. Worship, meetings, family reunions, graduations, all virtual, are causing our eyes to cross and feel veiled in sadness. The challenge of being out in the … Read More
Rescuing Brussels Sprouts
My husband, Dan, and I went out to the grocery store yesterday afternoon for a few items. We passed a small tent as we were walking in that contained some bedraggled looking annuals and a few random planters. What caught our eye, however, were vegetable and herb plants. Weary, worn and sad, as the old hymn goes, … Read More
A Recipe for Endurance
” Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up. So then, let’s work for the good of all whenever we have an opportunity, and especially for those in the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9 (Common English Bible) Mrs. Lois Williams is one of my heroes in the household … Read More
How Long, O Lord?
Photo by Quincy Worthington There is no question that our nation and our world are struggling and while we have a novel coronavirus in our world, there’s nothing novel or new about the tension in our country surrounding the treatment of people of color and the disproportionate impact of poverty, violence, health challenges, and more upon people of color, and … Read More
