Rev. Leuchtenberger is our senior minister. Read more.
The monuments we erect and venerate, the symbols we treasure or despise, and the texts, art and music that capture and embody our history all offer opportunities for holding up a mirror, for learning about ourselves, and for atoning for our past. Join Michael and Joanna as we explore the impact of local and national … Continue reading The Containers of Our History
We arrive in each moment loaded with gifts – earned and unearned, desired and disdained, enduring and short-lived. How do we honor these gifts (and liabilities) while also creating space for new narratives to emerge that are less burdened and defined by the baggage we carry? We will look at the traditions, rituals, and … Continue reading The Baggage We Carry
History is the narrative that allows us to make sense of the past, that throws a shadow on the now, and that restrains our imagination going forward. History matters because it frames our perception of the truth. And our understanding of truth depends on who writes our history – with great consequences for those featured … Continue reading Truth & Consequences
There is something about family that feels essential. Something we all need in one form or another. Yet many families are broken. Many families are emotionally and physically dispersed. Many families exist in name only. Chosen families to the rescue. What can they be like? What can they offer? What does it take?
So many of the relationships we value and depend on get stuck when we feel we are no longer heard, when we sense our perspective is not even understood, when we perceive our only option to be fight or flight. Conflict, polarization, and frustration are real. So are the tools that can help us break … Continue reading Listening Communities
The environmental crisis we face is real. In Sand Talk, Aboriginal scholar and artist Tyson Yunkaporta illustrates what can be gained by viewing global systems through the lens of Indigenous Knowledge. Community and connection over individualism and fragmentation, respect for the land, recognizing the oneness of everything. As he writes: “The whole is intelligent, and … Continue reading The Oneness of Everything
How intentional are you about cultivating relationships – with others, with the environment, with the holy, with your own self? What if today, this week, this year you were even more deliberate about devoting time to caring for the people, the places, and the communities that matter to you? What would change for them? For … Continue reading Caring on Purpose
Each time we enter a new group, a new situation, a new community, we look for cues as to whether we are welcome, wanted, and safe. Welcoming words are a start, but we also notice the physical space, the visual messages, and the behavior of others in the community as we determine whether we, too, … Continue reading The Possibility of Belonging
Paying attention to our breath is common to many spiritual practices. We get about 25,000 chances each day. It helps us be more mindful, calm, and focused. What is less remembered is how crucial the way we breathe is to our well-being. As James Nestor in his book Breath writes: “No matter what we … Continue reading The Lost Art of Breathing
As we re-gather, still COVID-constrained, online and in person, we celebrate the flowing back together of the life of our community. Come be with us as we introduce our new intern ministers, Dan & Jeff, and welcome our new choir director, Marianne. May our hearts unfold as we reflect on the power of water – … Continue reading The Power of Water – A Water Communion Service
