*This post is excerpted from a sermon on Acts 3:1-12a; 4:1-4. My friend, Jay Yoder, has been supporting Black organizers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and shared a video of what happened when they were filming police badge numbers: as Jay neared the end of the line of officers, one stepped forward and, with no warning…
God, we have questions. Answer us quickly. God, we are overwhelmed. Our spirits fail. Do not hide your face from us. But let us hear. Let us hear. Let us hear of your steadfast love. Let us trust. Let us trust in you. Let us learn. Teach us the way we should go. For to…
This prayer is by my fellow Mennonite pastor, Mark Schloneger. Much thanks for his permission to post it here. Creator of our first breath, Sustainer of our next breath, Redeemer of all deep breath, We remember those who are finding it hard to breathe. We remember those who have died, those who are suffering, and…
We’re all thinking a lot about our breath these days. About whether we’re breathing in COVID-19 virus particles—or, God forbid, unknowingly breathing them out. About where we breathe and how we breathe and whether we should cover our breath with a mask. We’re thinking about who is breathing in the space around us and about…
This is my final week of sabbatical, which means my time of (intense) virtual church visits is coming to an end soon. I’m excited to share with you some more cool things I’ve experienced in worship around the internet. This post is a bit longer than usual because I decided to go ahead and finish…
So far on my mini-May-sabbatical I’ve engaged with about twenty different church worship services: emailed services, live-streamed services, pre-recorded services, Zoom services. Lots of them have been Mennonite, but I’ve also hung out with some Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Disciples of Christ, and non-denominational folks. In my first post about this experience, I suggested some ways to…
I’ve been granted a mini-sabbatical for the month of May, and I’m taking this opportunity to visit several churches. It’s delightful to be able to worship with friends and strangers from afar and I’m deeply encouraged by the creativity and community vitality I see all around the internet. First and foremost, if you are a…
Imagine: A black man and his son grab guns, hop in their car, and chase down a white jogger. The young black man gets out of the car, confronts the unarmed jogger and, after a brief altercation, shoots him. Imagine: Hundreds of black people—most openly carrying firearms—swarm a state capital, yelling in the faces of…
I don’t know how heaven will work, but if there are optional excursion packages I want to take the one where I get to listen in on the conversations that happened when people were forming the Revised Common Lectionary. I realize this will probably be one of the less popular excursions. But still. I am…
Call to Worship from John 14 When we cannot see the path, Jesus is the way. When we cannot trust the voices we hear, Jesus is the truth. When it feels like death is closing in, Jesus is the life. So do not let your hearts be troubled. Benediction (from 1 Peter 2) Now…
“Jesus, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” I love Thomas. He doesn’t go along to get along. He doesn’t pretend to understand Jesus’ baffling words or—later–to believe an unbelievable story of resurrection. I imagine the other disciples smiling, nodding along, just happy to be in Jesus’ presence.…
Originally posted on Spacious Faith:
With Matthew 28:1-10 The earth is shaking.Are angels descending?The tomb is before us.Is the stone rolling back?It’s bright as lightening, blinding as the sun reflecting off of snow.Of course we are afraid.But we need not tremble.We need not become like the dead.Because the tomb is emptyand we are calledfirst to…
Originally posted on Spacious Faith:
? OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA A few years ago I audited a class at St. Paul seminary on “Preaching and the Short Story.” There was a story on the syllabus with “Easter” in the title, and I kept thinking I should read that before I wrote my Easter sermon. So this…
As we move from Palm Sunday to Good Friday, a lot of people wonder how the “Hosanna” of Palm Sunday gave way to the “Crucify him!”of Good Friday. How did the crowd go from praising Jesus to condemning him, all in a matter of days? Well, it didn’t. Because we are talking about two different…
God, Death is all around us. Of course death is not new, but we feel it in new and difficult ways right now. Breathe the breath of your Spirit Into the dry places of our lives, Into the wastelands of our hearts. Breathe and fill us With your love, Your grace, Your purpose, Your Life.…
