It is a story most of us know well. The woman and man traveling to his hometown for a census. The baby born, wrapped in cloths, and laid in a manger. Casual observers would know nothing about the angel who visited Mary or the agony Joseph had gone through when he learned his fiancée was…
(To be sung to the tune of . . . Oh, you can figure it out.) I’m dreaming of a Mennonite Christmas, the kind that all the righteous know, where gifts are handmade or maybe fair trade, and wrapped with last year’s bags and bows. I’m dreaming of a Mennonite Christmas, with every Christmas card…
I was a senior in high school when the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy was instituted. We were studying satire in English, and our assignment was to create an example. So I made an application for military service. It showed a picture of an attractive man without a shirt on and read, “I would like…
Here is a link to my sermon for the Second Sunday of Advent. The focus scripture is Matthew 3:1-12. “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near!”
The first Sunday of Advent this year, our worship service at Peace Mennonite focused on the issue of time–particularly the distinction between Chronos and Kairos. During December, Chronos, or chronological time, is emphasized in many ways. The secular world tells us how many shopping days we have until Christmas. At home, many of us use…
I feel that my meeting with the Leadership Commission went well on Friday. I was able to be heard and to listen. Each person from my congregation had a chance to speak as well. The commission began its discernment on Friday and will continue discussing my situation at their next meeting in February. I am…
This might fall into the category of “too much information,” but I will be wearing my pretty panties tomorrow. They are bright pink with black polka dots, a couple of cute bows, some lace. Tomorrow morning I will leave home at 6:15 and travel with five other people from my church to our conference headquarters—about…
This would probably be a good time to say that the views expressed in this blog are my personal views. They do not necessarily reflect the perspective of my congregation or denomination. (To put it mildly.)
In response to several high profile cases of suicide by teenagers who were—or were perceived to be—gay, advice columnist Dan Savage posted a video on YouTube that he made with his husband. They wanted gay teens to know that It Gets Better. Within a month, over 800 videos were posted by a wide range of…
You might say I’m a bit of a prayerbook junkie–a free-church pastor who loves deep liturgy. Also, I should add, an embarrassingly undisciplined person who needs all the help I can get when it comes to the spiritual essentials of daily prayer and Bible-reading. Just before Thanksgiving I received my pre-ordered copy of a new…
Spacious Faith 