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Welcome from 
Thanks for stopping in. Pour yourself a cup o' jo, take a load off your feet, and check out what's here. You are looking at my ramblings about issues of faith, life and culture—they are my own and are not necessarily shared by those with whom I work, live or otherwise engage. My journey has led my family and me across the country where I have been introduced to a lot of people and a lot of different ways of doing things. One passion, though, runs through all these experiences: building beloved and sustainable community. "Sustainable" community is kind of a strange notion, as communities (people) change constantly, and things are always in motion. So, the latest chapter of my life has led me to the notion of "impermanence"—not an idea that comes naturally in a culture that likes to build monuments to our greatness for future generations to view and admire. But, I'm trying to practice my awareness of impermanence—the idea that nothing is permanent, nothing is forever, and things are always in flux. Feel free to share your comments and engage in any conversation that may be happening here, but just know that I do reserve the right to delete any spam or anything I deem inappropriate or offensive. I look forward to dialoguing with anyone who cares to dialogue! Peace and blessings, |
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For the past several weeks I have been in deep thought and reflection. I am disappointed and saddened by events in our country. I am saddened by the divides and the hate that so many of our leaders seem to have encouraged and spawned. It is one thing to have an opinion and share it. It is another when those who have a different opinion are demonized. I have been accused of deepening the divide, […] 
I haven’t posted anything the past couple of weeks, since the election. I have been listening to people’s reactions and trying to process what happened and what it might mean for our nation and world. Each year our local Tempe Interfaith Fellowship hosts an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. It is an amazing service, and a highlight of the season for many. This year I was asked to offer the Prayer of Thanksgiving, which also served as […] 
Whew! The final debate in the presidential election is over. It was heated. It was challenging (to watch and listen). The mud being slung all over the place in both the gubernatorial race and all the races down ticket is astonishing. It feels like it’s more than in the past. Yet, looking back at history it’s mild compared to Thomas Jefferson declaring John Adams to be a “hideous hermaphroditical character” in the 1800 […] Caring comes naturally to some, but that does not mean it isn’t hard work. The art and practice of pastoral ministry challenges a culture which values individualism, which makes it hard to ask for help. We are torn between our desire to be self-reliant and realizing that we need one another-scripture would suggest that we are even responsible for one another. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain defiantly responds to God’s inquiring about Cain’s now […] 
There is a game that is as old as humanity, maybe older. It’s called: “The Blame Game.” It goes in and out of popularity, but seems to come back as anxiety increases (whether or not it is factually justified). Leaders often respond to The Blame Game either by joining in and trying to thrust as much blame on other leaders as possible, or by trying to justify or defend their positions against the onslaught of […] 
Some would suggest that these kinds of national gatherings are long, boring, and cumbersome. But if we look closely, we see a spirit of connectional faith throughout the week. People gather. People re-connect. People talk, share, and listen. Somehow amidst the Robert’s Rules-o-rama, the discussions and debates—as well as the copious amounts of coffee—God’s Spirit speaks, moves, and nudges. Somehow, amidst the cacophony of divergent voices, a prophetic voice is heard. To be prophetic is to serve […] 
Agitators are dangerous. They can insight fear and frustration, and often violence, with or without knowing it. Last Saturday I participated in a counter-rally calling out presidential frontrunner Donal Trump for his racist, misogynistic, and down-right hateful rhetoric. We were there to agitate, but also raise the flag on the language coming from a person who is vying for one of the most powerful positions in the world. Prior to Saturday, opposing Donald Trump’s run […] 
With every step Jesus took into and within Jerusalem, he pushed against the status quo of fear and oppression. He pushed the Jewish leadership in their cooperation with the empire. He pushed the Roman leadership, riding that thin line between nuisance and seditionist. The leaders saw that the crowd was getting behind Jesus, drawn to his preaching of love and justice (probably more the justice than the love). They needed to figure out how to […] |
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