Dear Congressional Representatives who Keep Saying that the “Real Problem” is Mental Illness, Mental illness is, indeed, a real problem. Please, by all means, address the issue of mental health in our country. We need more and better mental health clinics, more and better training for teachers, police, medical personnel, and others who interact with…
This Sunday will be the first in our “Rooted and Grounded” series, exploring the biblical and theological bases for some of our dearly held values. We begin by exploring the biblical foundation for anti-racism work. Our call to worship is based on Genesis 1:27 and Galatians 3:28-29. We are created by God…
This call to worship is based on Matthew 22:34-40 with a nod to Psalm 1. Which commandment in the law is greatest? Love your God. And the second? Love your neighbor as yourself. Love with all your heart. Love with all your soul. Love with all your mind. Love with all your strength. On these…
My RevGals prayer for this week: Saturday Prayer: A Prayer from Psalm 46 Holy, Compassionate, Comforting, Empowering God, You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Let us not fear, though the earth quakes; though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though its…
In the spirit of “better late than never,” here are some thoughts about the Nashville Statement: To all who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, intersex, transgender, gender non-conforming, questioning and/or otherwise queer: God created you and loves you. You are sacred, you are worthy, you are an integral part of the true Church. I…
At the Poor People’s Campaign rally in Topeka, KS, this past Monday night, Rev. William Barber told us about a map of the United States. A map that shows what states have the highest rates of poverty, poorest health care access, highest number of racist incidents, highest rates of violence against LGBTQ people, and highest…
As I try to process my experience at the Future Church Summit in Orlando—and especially as I think about the events of the delegate session—scenes from my son’s teen years keep coming to mind. Our son, who has multiple mental health and developmental struggles, often expressed feelings that made no sense to me. If I…
Last week I participated in the Mennonite Church USA Future Church Summit. It was a structured conversation about who we want to be as Mennonites and what we hope for our church. Here is a summary of what I heard: “Jesus” this and “Jesus” that. Mennonites love Jesus. We want to follow Jesus. Everything else…
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 89 and Matthew 13:31-32): We sing of God’s steadfast love, And proclaim God’s faithfulness to all generations: The faithfulness that grows a seed into a great shrub; the faithfulness that welcomes birds of the air. The faithfulness that provides sturdy branches for the nests that are built. God’s faithfulness…
I’ve been told to come to the Mennonite Church USA Future Church Summit with a smile, ready to make new friends. And I will. I basically smile all the time anyway;that’s just how my face looks. Honestly, I have to try hard to not smile at inappropriate times like funerals or public scoldings. Also, I…
Father’s Day is coming up, and I’ve been thinking about the particular person who is the father of my particular children. I realize that many of you are not married to people who are dads—some of you are single, some of you do not have children, some of you are married to other moms. Still,…
I am a total sucker for those articles people sometimes post on Facebook about Meyers-Briggs types—the personality test. You know, “Where you should live based on your Myers-Briggs type” or “What famous person shares your type?” This week, a friend posted “The definition of hell for different Myers-Briggs types.” My friend shared this post to…
