I’ve been thinking a lot about friendship in these days. Friendship and ministry. Friends in congregations. In my seminary experience over 26 years ago, there was an emphasis (and often there still is) on maintaining such boundaries that we do not become friends with the people in congregations we serve. The danger of getting too [...]
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Posted in Compton Heights Christian Church (DOC), Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism, Racism, Religion, Sacred Spaces, Shooting, St. Louis City, Urban Church, community, gangs on May 31, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Yesterday, I took that bike ride with a woman in the congregation. It was beautiful day and we road 16 miles. It felt good. Today I talked with a colleague about the images of the shooting still in my head. The sense of anger and frustration at not being able to [...]
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Posted in "Ashes to Go", Ash Wednesday, Compton Heights Christian Church (DOC), Open and Affirming Congregation, Prayer, Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism, Religion, Religious Community, Sacred Spaces, Spiritual, Urban Church, Worship, community, progressive church on February 7, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Lent has begun with challenge and invitation. On Tuesday night following a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper with neighboring congregations, I headed to the grocery store to pick up some leeks with an eye toward beginning Lent with leek soup. It was pouring down rain. As I walked in the store, there was an older woman [...]
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As a minister in Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), I have the privilege of having been ordained for 25 years. In this denomination women have been ordained for well over 100 years. We look back to such women as Melissa Garrett Terrell ordained in 1867, Ellen Grant Gustin and Emi B. Frank ordained in 1873, [...]
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All Saints Sunday is one of my favorite Sunday’s of the church year. The power of Naming those who have gone before us in faith always moves me to depths I do not anticipate. Though I know how significant All Saints worship is for me, I am still surprised each time at the power of [...]
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I’ve not been writing lately. It seems that the cold/sinus/allergy plague has taken over. Yuck. Energy is low for much beyond the necessary. In spite of it all, I have been delighted by the energy and spirit of the congregation in these fall days. Fall is indeed the time when many who are without a [...]
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Lately I find myself in a new (for me) depth of prayer. It is a kind of prayer that at some moments seems to draw me closer to people, yet at other times draws me apart and into myself. Even in those ‘apart’ times, when I am less interactive with people, I feel connected and [...]
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Posted in Amistad, Compton Heights Christian Church (DOC), Open and Affirming Congregation, Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism, Reconciliation, Religion, Spiritual, St. Louis City, Urban Church, progressive church on October 6, 2007 | No Comments »
This evening 12 of us gathered at the church to watch and discuss the movie “Amistad”. This was a part of our denomination’s Reconciliation Ministry focus. Reconciliation is our ministry to end racism. The movie “Amistad” has been around for several years, however this year’s focus is rooted in the 200th anniversary of the abolishment [...]
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Posted in Church Garden, Compton Heights Christian Church (DOC), Divine Hours, Noon Prayers, Prayer, Religion, Religious Community, Spiritual, Urban Church, community on September 29, 2007 | 9 Comments »
It seems every few posts return to Wednesday Noon Prayers. I suppose it is because I am drawn to what God’s Spirit is doing and to what can come about in Noon Prayers. As a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), we are not accustomed to observing prayer at particular hours of the [...]
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This past weekend I had the privilege of being the keynote leader for the Southeast Gateway Area Fall Women’s Retreat. Those present were Disciples of Christ laywomen and clergy plus one Presbyterian clergywoman who just asked her Disciples friends if she could come along. It was a wonderful group. I was reminded [...]
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