Start Close In by David Whyte Start close in, don’t take the second step or the third, start with the first thing close in, the step you don’t want to take. Start with the ground you know, the pale ground
I am so grateful to be fully vaccinated from COVID-19. I was actually surprised at how hope-inducing the experience was. The teams of medical professionals and volunteers delivering the vaccine had an air of the elves in Santa’s woodshop and
Quantum theory also tells us that the world is not simply objective; somehow it’s something more subtle than that. In some sense it is veiled from us, but it has a structure that we can understand. John Polkinghorne I’m grieving
Declaring The Sanctity Of Life & The Dignity Of All We come together as senior religious leaders, academics, and lay leaders from around the world to affirm the sanctity of life and dignity of all. We affirm that all human
“I’m not a foodie; I’m an eatie. I don’t have anything against foodies. I just don’t have the time or the interest to do that much research.” Jim Gaffigan Stand-up comedy can be – among other things – prophetic. I
52 years ago today Ben & Rosella and my older sister Michelle (my younger brother – Dallas – wasn’t yet on the scene) welcomed me into the world. It was the same year humans first stepped on the moon; the
I love the opening scenes of the 1995 “Smoke” by film makers Wayne Wang and Paul Auster. Among others, the movie features Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Stockard Channing, Harold Perrineau Jr., and very young Forest Whitaker. The story begins as a local business owner is
Today is Ash Wednesday; the first day of Lent. My school’s Scared Space, Office of Students & Alumni, and my Life Together class sent out Lenten observation kits to any current students, staff or faculty who wanted one. Today’s chapel
I’m getting ready to teach a new class: “Spirituality & Sabbath.” I’m having a blast reading, mediating, praying, sketching, and thinking in preparation. As you may know, I’ve spent the better part of my adult life opening to faithful presence
This coming Wednesday – one week from today – begins an intentional journey inviting spiritual seekers to join in solidarity with suffering and all who suffer. It is a season to hold with honest generosity and curiosity the suffering one
In the late 2000’s (maybe 2009?) at Washington State’s Sasquatch Festival during a performance by Santigold of her hit, “Unstoppable” a lone guy starts dancing on a hill. Derek Sivers made this video famous by using it to illustrate the
In 1962 Malvina Reynolds released her song “Little Boxes” – used as the theme for the Showtime series “Weeds” – and it’s a song capturing the fear of being ordinary, at least in part. The fear of having a ticky-tacky
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is
Last trimester a student posted a link to this video in our course’s chat. I have gone back and watched it number of times since then, so I thought I’d post it here so I can have a record of
I received an email from a dear friend who is an executive director of a Latin American mission collective. As I responded to the email I thought I’d take some of what I offered, modify it slightly, and post it
“Next Year in Jerusalem!” my brother reassured me, as I lamented our pandemic Easter. 2020 relentlessly exposed the myth of control I try to hide behind. Sometimes I fear the cracks in my spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical realms will
The theme of the January 2021 issue of SoJourners magazine is “A Time To Rebuild,” and it features a story titled, “How to thrive in a Decade of Accelerating Change” by Associate Editor, Da’Shawn Mosley. Da’Shawn interviewed Tom Sine and
The Right Reverend Richard Bott is the current Moderator of the United Church of Canada. He composed this beautiful prayer for when we put our masks on, and has given permission for it to be shared (asking only that we attribute it
Today is the annual International Transgender Day of Remembrance. Its the day set apart to remember those people who have been murdered simply because they have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from the sex that they were assigned at birth. All violence
Well, as we all know today is the US presidential election. Everyone in this nation and many around the world are watching with bated breath to see what will happen in this country both today and in the days to
What can we learn from 2020, so that we can be more ready for 2021? Will 2021 be any different than this year? If so how? Maybe more importantly, why? What are you and your neighbors doing now to shape
In this pandemic era many of us find ourselves walking our neighborhoods more than ever. Many are also experiencing limitations in terms of gathering together with others. So doing things with your group or your church may not be available.
For a New Beginning by John O’Donohue In out-of-the-way places of the heart, Where your thoughts never think to wander, This beginning has been quietly forming, Waiting until you were ready to emerge. For a long time it has watched
The ongoing collaboration between the Parliament of World Religions together with the UN-Environment Programme, has set forth a “Faith for Earth: A Call for Action.” This beautifully compiled document describes the essential, unshakeable reverence that all religions have for creation
Recently watched The World Before Your Feet, it’s a documentary film directed by Jeremy Workman and executive produced by Jesse Eisenberg . The film follows Matthew Green on his quest to walk every street, park, and beach in the five
Happy Juneteenth! The 2020 observation of Juneteenth may well be the most significant since 1865. From the abundance of media coverage this year more white Americans (myself included) are learning that Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the US.
“Little Lion Man” by Mumford & Sons Weep for yourself, my man You’ll never be what is in your heart Weep, little lion man You’re not as brave as you were at the start Rate yourself and rake yourself Take
I recently reread Willie James Jennings‘ essay, “Can ‘White’ People Be Saved?” (highly recommended), after defining ‘whiteness’ and walking through the tragic history of the collusion the Christian faith with white supremacy Dr. Jennings writes: “As I close – I
You are here! Actually your are there; I am here. This is amazing! This is real. Like no time in modern history – or least not since the inventions of the steam ship, the locative, the automobile, and the airplane
Have a blessed Palm Sunday my friends! Weird to think about Jesus riding a donkey into the city of Jerusalem amidst Covid19. Looks more like Will Smith’s “I am Legend” than the Gospel accounts. The streets empty, no pruned palm
