(Part 2 of 3) Last month’s musings talked about the importance of warm-ups – whether for sports, music, oratory, or worship. And I tried to make the case that we ought to take equally seriously warm-ups for the most important activity of the day – being the human being we aspire to be. Most of us are committed to … Continue reading Spiritual Warm-up: Setting Intentions
(Part 1 of 2): My great passion growing up was gymnastics. Four times a week I took public transport for an hour to get to practice, spent three hours at the gym, and then retraced my steps to return home after dark. Homework happened on the train and bus. Thanks to an amazing coach, I … Continue reading What’s your spiritual warm-up?
It has been a wonderful month to be your Minister of Lifespan Faith Development. I have received hugs from toddlers who feel safe and loved here at church, overheard a 10-year-old telling his Sunday School teachers that they were “doing a great job” and seemed very experienced because they both knew a lot, laughed with our teenagers as they … Continue reading Faith Formation is in Full Swing
I hate to lose. I’d rather win. As much as I might try to tone that down – especially around church – it’s real and anyone who’s seen me play foosball, ping pong, or video bowling on the big screen in the sanctuary during Youth Group sleepovers knows what I am talking about. What’s been interesting to observe is how … Continue reading Winning and Losing With Grace
We are very excited about the upcoming church year and the expanded opportunities for adult learning, practice, and service that will be offered two Sundays per month after worship, followed by a community lunch on those days so that we can socialize and share our experiences over a meal. We are also looking forward to … Continue reading Ch-ch-ch-changes!
Connecting in Love and Service Growing Spiritually Transforming Ourselves and the World This is the mission statement we created together and adopted in 2013. In all we do together as a community, these are the words that we revisit to evaluate how we’re doing. These are the words that we look to when we ask, “Could … Continue reading Big changes coming this fall, for worship and for faith development for both children and adults
What is joy, and where does it come from? Is it necessarily fleeting, a height we cannot realistically hope to maintain, or can it be a daily disposition, the ground in which we plant ourselves? I believe that joy – both the dizzying kind and the more ordinary experiences of happiness and contentment – is a side effect of … Continue reading An Ode to Joy
Last Sunday as I was sitting at my desk in the Church School office, I heard two familiar voices in the hallway – one of our six-year-olds, in animated conversation with one of our elders. “I’m a liberal,” I heard the child declare confidently as he opened a door and made his way into the children’s choir rehearsal. A … Continue reading Faith Development Happens Everywhere
The future of any community is in large part a reflection of the culture it shares and values. Our congregational culture is what gives me hope and faith in a future worthy of our dreams. Does that mean we have all the volunteers we need? No. Does it mean we have all the resources we … Continue reading Our Congregation’s Culture – Now and in the Future
Our worship theme for April is Equanimity, and I will freely admit that equanimity is not anything I’m famous for. I laugh easily, cry easily, and while I can be extremely patient with other people’s children, my own personal children? My older son, now 22, came home to visit and got a volley of criticism … Continue reading Equanimity: a Theme for All Ages
