God of the broken-hearted, God of the broken heart, Receive our sighs too deep for words. In your time by your grace heal us. In this meantime hold us as we weep. Hold us and rock us with the rhythm of your own grief-struck quaking body. Amen (I wrote this several months ago when I…
As a pastor, I know that Advent is a time of preparation, a time of pondering, a time of patient waiting. It is a season to contemplate the growing darkness of our days and appreciate the promise held in the darkness of Mary’s womb. It is a time pregnant with the possibility of recognizing and…
Here is our candle-lighting call to worship for the third Sunday of Advent. The Advent Conspiracy theme for this week is “Give More,” and our focus will be on Mary. Check previous posts for candle-lighting liturgies for Advent 1 and Advent 2. One: During these weeks of Advent, we prepare gifts. We look forward with…
My oldest two children came into our family as a foster-to-adopt placement. We were told that their biological dad was not in the picture and mom would not be able to get custody. They were foster children that would be available for adoption soon. James was three and a half. Jasmine had just turned two.…
I’m getting ready to copy, bind, and ship the Colored Pencil Prayers books! All orders that I receive by midnight on Friday, December 7, are guaranteed to ship by Monday, December 10–which should get the books to you in plenty of time for Christmas. [Please note that you can order books after December 7, they…
I am preparing for this upcoming Sunday’s worship service–the second Sunday of Advent. The Advent Conspiracy theme for this week is “Spend Less.” And I should give credit to parishoner and friend Thomas Heilke for the phrase “right relationship with the economy”–which he manages to use about once a month in his insightful…
For the Monday prayer practices during Advent, I will be posting reflections on different characters from the Advent and Christmas stories. I pray a blessed and holy Advent for you all! The reflection below is adapted from a sermon I preached a few years ago. The scripture reading is Luke 1:5-25. – – – –…
Spacious Faith 