Evangelical United Church of Christ

“I’m learning to let go without leaving claw marks,” remarked a fellow sojourner. “You can’t let go if you’re still holding on,” offered another. And so it is that I find myself learning to hold with open hands. Buddhism teaches … Continue reading →

“One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.” Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria) A long, long time ago, people asked questions about the meaning of life and … Continue reading →

It’s Friday morning and the house is quiet. With the Christmas tree down, even the kitten has left the front room in search of more interesting play places. (Current favorite? Recycle crate in kitchen.) I’m left alone to sort the … Continue reading →

On the first snow of the year we are mesmerized by both the beauty and the vulnerability. This first snow was particularly poignant for the layer of ice that lie beneath, made all the more relevant by our anti-government fervor … Continue reading →

Last night I had the privilege of watching the moon rise on a clear winter’s night. The hour was quiet in my home and I was nestled under a lap quilt on my red couch beneath the picture window, feeling … Continue reading →

For a few short hours, I am still pondering in the 12th month of the year 2011. By any measure, 2011 was a remarkable year. Commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11, we witnessed the Arab Spring, the end of the … Continue reading →

As I print the storied Christmas Eve texts from Luke and Isaiah, I again pause with the realization that I am taking the precious verses out of their contexts and culling from them the depth of their challenge. The text … Continue reading →

Communion Prayer (sung response 756 NCH) Gathering around the table as we celebrate new life borning,
 we remember so many stories shared around tables; tables where bread is broken and cup is poured out, where families gather and generations share, … Continue reading →

Recently I had the luxury of working in my pajamas all morning, which made the awaiting hot water all the more tantalizing. Except that when I turned the faucet on, the forthcoming water was tepid. Unbelievable. I ran it for … Continue reading →

As a product of the evangelical Sunday School movement, I hold an interesting bag of paradoxes and passions. On the one hand, I have zero tolerance for proselytizing efforts that presume a deficiency and purport to offer the cure. I … Continue reading →

Even before Occupy’s urging, our days as Bank America customers were numbered. In the heat of the summer we sat in a branch office navigating the name-change gauntlet with a disapproving clerk and a haunting mural. Although the mural was … Continue reading →

I was trying to find verses to affirm the power of the political message of Jesus’ birth stories, particular the Luke story. This text was inspired by Borg and Crossan’s “The First Christmas”. Follow the traditional first verse with these … Continue reading →

On this eve of Thanksgiving, I am aware of the gratitude that I feel in the wake of Sunday’s congregational gathering. The gathering was filled with compassion… voices shared, questions raised, laughter and tears mingled, and a path was identified. … Continue reading →

As a pastor of a used-to-be mainline church in middle America, conflict is the water in which I swim. But I have a confession; I don’t like it. Actually, that’s an understatement; in truth, I abhor conflict. Sure, we’ve forded … Continue reading →

My article today is to be about our annual pledge drive, this year an appeal for every family of the church to offer a “promise of participation” for the coming year. But it isn’t. Or maybe it is. I find … Continue reading →

Prayer of Dedication (for day of transition) For the wisdom of our elders bringing us safely to this place; God of our yesterday, we give you thanks. For the vision of new generations opening windows to new views; God of … Continue reading →

I have seen the enemy, it is me. Indirectly but essentially these words are the heart of the 11th step in the “12 steps to a compassionate life” (Karen Armstrong): Recognition. As we move through the 11th month of the … Continue reading →

Twice now I’ve tried to register our church with the group “The Center for Progressive Christianity”, twice now the online system has booted me out. The second time, however, they accepted my money before the disconnect. I’m fearful of the … Continue reading →

Today I tried to make a quick trip to the bookstore. I had just one book that I needed and had confirmed that it was available, but quick trip and bookstore rarely fit in the same sentence and such was … Continue reading →