Life Practices • dwight j. friesen

O God! No! . . . Not Again

What do you do with the feelings inside you in moments of overwhelming tragedy like Tuesday’s murderous shooting at Robb Elementary School? O Lord in your broken-heartedness, hear our cries for the families crushed with sorrow by the loss of

Dwight J. Friesen May 25, 2022May 26, 2022

Systemic Racism Kills Again

As the details of Saturday’s horrific mass shooting in Buffalo continue to emerge it is painfully clear, yet again, that the evils of assumed white body supremacy and black body racism persist. Racial hatred ought to have no place in

Dwight J. Friesen May 17, 2022May 20, 2022

“One More Love Poem”

One More Love Poem by Dunya Mikhail If I had one more day I would write a love poem composed of one word repeated like binary code. I’ll multiply it by the number of days that passed without saying it

Dwight J. Friesen May 12, 2022June 7, 2022

A Vital Resource for Church & City

Since its creation, United Nations Habitat has been striving to put practical tools in the hands of local people and communities to equip them with the needed information, inspiration, and ideas to mobilize grassroots people to bring about real change

Dwight J. Friesen May 11, 2022December 19, 2022

“A Random Act of Kindness”

Not sure exactly why this song calls to me today, but something about it touches a deep place. I hear something of the power of presence, kindness, and relational risk coupled with the real complexities of each new day… and

Dwight J. Friesen May 9, 2022May 9, 2022

Self-Encounter

My friend Don sent me a link to the late, Dr Hazel Barnes‘ TV show from the early 1960s, “Self Encounter: A Study in Existentialism.” I started watching it while recovering from COVID. The pace of the series is clearly

Dwight J. Friesen May 8, 2022May 8, 2022

Holy Week

Palm Sunday April 10th 10:00AM @ St Luke’s Holy Friday April 15th, 7:00PM @ St Luke’s Table Turning April 16th, 1:00PM @ NW Detention Center Easter Sunday April 17th, 8:30 & 10:30AM @ St Luke’s If you’re looking for some

Dwight J. Friesen April 10, 2022April 12, 2022

“I Feel Good” Jon Batiste

I feel good. I feel free. I feel fine just being me. I feel good today. Oh so good today. Gospel! Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen April 5, 2022April 12, 2022

Co-Leading a Futuring Retreat

Tom Sine and I have the privilege and responsibility of working with a Presbyterian church in Enumclaw Washington who are seeking to prepare themselves for tomorrow. This congregation was founded in 1892, and like the majority of faith communities in

Dwight J. Friesen March 22, 2022March 22, 2022

This Sunday

This Sunday – March 20th, the third Sunday of Lent – is the 94th anniversary of the birth of Fred Rogers. Mr. Rogers wrote, produced, and hosted Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for 33 years; an educational Public TV program focused on emotional,

Dwight J. Friesen March 18, 2022March 18, 2022

Pastoring Again!

I am thrilled to announce that I am pastoring again! For approximately the next year and a half, I will be serving as the part-time pastor at St Luke’s Lutheran Church in Bellevue. While I will still be teaching at

Dwight J. Friesen January 21, 2022May 26, 2022

Racial Economic Inequity

The idea or dream that is the Untied States of America that cannot be realized without taking significant and meaningful action to make right the evils upon which this nation is founded… stealing land, genocide of its first inhabitants, and

Dwight J. Friesen January 17, 2022December 19, 2022

More People Feeling Lonely

According to the Barna Research Group, 31% of U.S.A. adults report feeling lonely at least some of each day. Their report – posted at the end of last 2021 – highlights that even before the pandemic, loneliness has been an

Dwight J. Friesen January 7, 2022September 26, 2022

Remembering bell hooks

“Genuine love is rarely an emotional space where needs are instantly gratified. To know love we have to invest time and commitment…’dreaming that love will save us, solve all our problems or provide a steady state of bliss or security

Dwight J. Friesen December 19, 2021December 19, 2022

Exquisite Mutuality

If you have just 3ish minutes to watch a video, I commend this glimpse into the heart and mind of Father Greg Boyle. Here, he briefly unpacks his beautiful phrase, “Exquisite Mutuality.” Have a great day… remember, you are not

Dwight J. Friesen December 12, 2021December 10, 2021

Complexifying Indigenous Homelessness

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness posted a profoundly wise complexification of indigenous homelessness. Indigenous peoples from across nations within Canada identified 12 dimensions of indigenous homelessness. These 12 dimensions expose a few realms inviting my deeper listening. One such realm,

Dwight J. Friesen November 12, 2021September 26, 2022

Collective Leadership by Petra Kuentel

My friend Forrest Inslee recently introduced me to the important work of Dr. Petra Kuenkel. Petra has amassed a very impressive CV investing her life as a leading strategic advisor to pioneering international multi-stakeholder initiatives tackling themes of local and

Dwight J. Friesen November 10, 2021November 6, 2022

Uncertain Times

Is it just me, or does the Jenga-like quality of life feel especially close to the surface these days. Precarious. Teetering. Unstable. Somehow just looking all that is changing can fill, even the heartiest of us with fear. “It could

Dwight J. Friesen November 8, 2021November 8, 2021

UN Climate Change AD & Human Extinction

Did you happen to catch the latest public awareness AD about climate change made by the United Nations. It is worth checking out. The UN has many very helpful resources for learning more or finding actionable practices postures for making

Dwight J. Friesen November 7, 2021November 7, 2021

Remembering Jack

Today was a very sad day. We had to put our beloved Jack down. One-eyed Jack. We think he was part Havanese and part Shih Tzu… but we’re sure he was all love. Not sure how he lost his eye

Dwight J. Friesen October 28, 2021April 24, 2024

The Future of Seattle

This is worth checking out. Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen October 12, 2021September 26, 2022

Becoming More Walkable

I stumbled across this article by David Malone highlighting some of the intentional steps – pardon the pun – that the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is taking to make it a more walkable city. Walkability is a vital to

Dwight J. Friesen October 7, 2021September 26, 2022

Discovering Your Mezzo Parish

Guiding your faith community into even greater faithful presence within its parish invites discernment of the collective. Where and how to focus time and energy is a vital and ongoing journey of listening and adapting. Sometimes we get sidetracked by

Dwight J. Friesen October 6, 2021November 12, 2021

You up for a Chat?

One of my great joys is engaging in conversation with leaders & groups seeking to discover the church that is emerging after Christendom. So many followers of the Jesus way can feel the many ways that our times are changing.

Dwight J. Friesen October 3, 2021November 3, 2021

“Listening” by William Stafford

Listening by William Stafford My father could hear a little animal step, or a moth in the dark against the screen, and every far sound called the listening out into places where the rest of us had never been. More

Dwight J. Friesen September 29, 2021December 14, 2021

Fall Classes are Start’n Up

The 2021 Fall trimester begins today at The Seattle School. If my math if correct term marks the starting of my 53rd trimester at this school. In the off chance that anyone needed a reminder of the impermanence of all

Dwight J. Friesen September 20, 2021November 4, 2021

Go Back, Engage, Bring It Forward

Earlier this week The Seattle School held its 2021 Instructional Team Orientation retreat, during which Dr. President Derek McNeil delivered an address. He organized his talk around “Sankofa.” Which as you may know, is a word from the Akan Twi

Dwight J. Friesen September 10, 2021November 4, 2021

“Staying Alive” by David Wagoner

Staying Alive by David Wagoner Staying alive in the woods is a matter of calming down At first and deciding whether to wait for rescue, Trusting to others, Or simply to start walking and walking in one direction Till you

Dwight J. Friesen September 7, 2021November 4, 2021

“Love Does That” by Meister Eckhart

Love Does That by Meister Eckhart All day long a little burro labors, sometimes with heavy loads on her back and sometimes just with worries about things that bother only burros. And worries, as we know, can be more exhausting

Dwight J. Friesen September 6, 2021November 4, 2021