“Blessed”
Being ‘blessed’ is theologically complicated. That’s what we more or less decided during our recent Sunday school discussion of Drew Hart’s book Trouble I’ve Seen: changing the way the church views racism. How many of our ‘blessings’ are simply consequences of injustice? We are indeed blessed, although it’s up to…
Stealing leaves. November, 2016
I wrote this poem yesterday as another step in processing the moral climate of our country. “Stealing leaves. November, 2016.” “This is the first time I’ve seen anyone stealing leaves.” My neighbor had caught me in the act, wheelbarrow loaded full with bags full of leaves he had bagged,…
A hidden wholeness
When a 10+ year old book comes into your life from two unrelated sources within the span of a week, it might be worth paying attention. That book for me this week was Parker Palmer’s A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward An Undivided Life. I’m on page 14 so…
Faith, values, and the 2016 election
If this election season is sucking your will to live, here’s a breath of fresh air. HERE is a reflection guide for voters called “Faith, Values, and the 2016 Election: Toward a Politics of the Golden Rule.” It is published by Faith in Public Life and has strong ecumenical and…
Day of Atonement
Last evening after our Worship Commission met I went into the sanctuary to experience worship of another kind, the service already underway. About 100 members of the Little Minyan Jewish congregation were beginning their observance of the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The congregation…
Beyond colorblindness
In the third edition of their classic book, Racial Formation in the United States, Michael Omi and Howard Winant characterize our present era as that of “colorblindness.” They trace it back to the early 1970’s as a response to the Civil Rights advances of the 60’s. As a racial…
Very Married
I’ve been invited to be on the launch team for the new Herald Press book Very Married: Field Notes on Love and Fidelity, by Katherine Willis Pershey. Being on the team basically involves getting a free pre-release copy of the book, reading it, writing a (honest) review, and spreading the…
Walking toward our biases
This Sunday for the sermon time I’ll be having an interview/dialogue with Malik Moore. I met Malik back in June at a Race and Justice event hosted by First Unitarian Universalist. We were both a part of a break out group discussing how faith communities might engage the issue. …
Collaboration and Confrontation
The last two mornings I’ve taken part in conversations that have me thinking about how change happens, and the role of collaboration and confrontation. The first was one of the many “Big Table” conversations Tuesday, sponsored by the Columbus Foundation. The question of the day was how we might work…
Stones shouting
“I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” Luke 19:40, the words of Jesus. Two weeks ago the shore of Lake Michigan between Saint Joseph and South Haven was covered with rocks. We stayed in a cabin my brother and his partner have owned for…
