Sundays, March 1-29 5:30-7:00 pm Central Time Deb Mechler, Facilitator Join the discussion during the Lenten season! This series will focus on the wisdom of Howard Thurman, whose influence on the leaders of the civil rights movement in the U.S. enabled them to act from a stance of spiritual strength. His remarkable life and teaching are well presented by Dr. Brown, whose book … Continue reading Inner Strength for Troubling Times
When I was a senior in high school, I sensed a calling to go into youth ministry. Central College did not have a major like that, so I basically designed my own, taking courses in religion, adolescent psychology, teaching, etc. Twelve years later I felt called to go to seminary. The call to ministry happened gradually during the eight years it took to complete my … Continue reading Called to a Friendship
When I think of that modest room lit by a receptive heart even before the messenger appearedI wonder if she was dreaming of her expected lifewith Josephas many girls do when they are betrothed.But thena shift in the room’s energyand a benediction uttered out of the silence,not much of a preamble to the predictionof pregnancy and prophecy landingsmack dab not only into her storybut her … Continue reading The Big Yes
I don’t feel merry this year. As I was visiting with a few friends this morning, several of them said they feel the same way. We’re not decking the halls as much as we usually do. We agreed that there has been so much bad news for so long that it feels strange to try to drum up “merry” feelings. My sense is that we … Continue reading A Not-So-Merry Advent
The morning walk is a handful of autumn leavesI want to hold itkeep itgrasp its beautyto revisit and savorthe colorsthe explosion of scarlet and flameand the sun warming my facebut this is not the wayof things.The drying weeds bowto the beautyof inevitabilityof deathof absence and lossthat the autumn leaves singand the geese declare to one anotheras they pass overhead.Time is not a thief.It is a … Continue reading A Handful of Autumn Leaves
It’s been a while, blog fans. Here’s what’s up with me. These days I am having a great time making art. Upon retiring over three years ago, I happened to see an ad for a mixed media class that only cost $15. I figured I didn’t have much to lose, and it looked like fun. I clicked on the ad, followed the prompts, and paid … Continue reading Taming the Shadow
We are in a time of tremendous upheaval since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. For many Americans, including me, the sweeping changes made in federal leadership and policy have been frightening. The haste and lack of thoughtfulness in these declarations betray the administration’s lack of wisdom and carelessness. Millions of people are at risk due to these changes. Fear is a constant in many … Continue reading Fight, Flight or Freeze, and….
Scavenge. Rip. Paint. Glue. Repeat. I spend hours in my art room these days, painting and tearing paper, gluing it onto card stock, chipboard or watercolor paper. I page through magazines to find interesting images or words to add to my creations. I notice the colors and shapes in everyday life, whether in nature or on a package I get in the mail. It all … Continue reading The Studio Beckons
A poem for Epiphany, or any time you look up at the night sky, and wonder. AbrahamThe stars were his promise to carry him on his sojourn past the skeptical glances and his own fear through the waiting despite domestic squabbles to a son and bloody altars and a legacy of trust.MagiThe star was their invitation to a new way of seeing beyond their charts … Continue reading Stars
The O Antiphons are about 1500 years old. In the last seven days of Advent, they declare seven names of Christ. They are most commonly known as the verses of the hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.”VIIO Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,the hope of the nations and their Savior:Come and save us, O Lord our God.We rode the creaking van throughrough non-streets of a … Continue reading O Antiphons – O Emmanuel
saint sinner seeker 