There are times when the challenges of life seem to crowd in around upon us. In recent weeks, our family, for instance has cared for one we love through her knee replacement surgery, then within days we have cared for each other in the death of a family member in a tragic auto accident. As [...]
Archive for the ‘Religion’ Category
Walk tenderly with each other
Posted in Prayer, Religion, Religious Community, Spiritual, tagged Compton Heights Christian Church, Religion on July 1, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Church Attendance
Posted in Church Attendance, Religion, tagged Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Religion on March 15, 2009 | 1 Comment »
This was a very unusual Sunday morning for me. I awoke to discover that I have ‘pink eye’ and, after a conversation with a nurse in the congregation, concluded that it was the contagious kind. The good news was that I was not preaching today; our student associate was scheduled to preach. So at the [...]
Pastor’s Lectionary Study Group
Posted in Friendship, Lectio Divina, Lectionary, Religion, Religious Community, Urban Church, community, tagged Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Compton Heights Christian Church, Religion on March 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Like many pastors, I meet weekly with an ecumenical group of colleagues for lectionary study. This is not the first wonderful group of this kind in my years of ministry; I’ve been fortunate to participate in three of these. This group meets on Tuesday mornings at 8:30, rotating our gatherings between our different church buildings. [...]
Best Actor for “Milk”
Posted in Academy Awards, Compton Heights Christian Church (DOC), MILK, Open and Affirming Congregation, Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism, Racism, Reconciliation, Religion, Sex/Sexuality, community on February 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Academy Awards always serve to remind me of the amazing positive contribution films make in our world. I am also reminded of the array of people with a creative passion who are behind these films. Tonight was no different … except that the presentation was spectacular!
In the weeks leading up to this year’s awards, [...]
“Sex Texts from the Bible”
Posted in Compton Heights Christian Church (DOC), Open and Affirming Congregation, Religion, Sex/Sexuality, progressive church on February 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Today was such a great Church day! This was the beginning day of our adult Christian Education study of Dr. Teresa J. Hornsby’s book Sex Texts from the Bible. We were delighted to have Teresa Hornsby join us to speak to the class in the morning and then speak again at lunch following worship.
Dr. Hornsby [...]
Friendship in the Church
Posted in Compton Heights Christian Church (DOC), Friendship, Religion, Religious Community, Spiritual, community on June 6, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
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 [...]
Where’s the outrage?
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 [...]
Strangers and “Ashes to Go”
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 [...]
WomenPriests – Ordination in St. Louis
Posted in Loretto Community, Religion, Religious Community, WomenPriests, ordination, progressive church, women on November 12, 2007 | 7 Comments »
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, [...]
All Saints Sunday — Lift Every Voice …
Posted in All Saints Day, Cloud of Witnesses, Compton Heights Christian Church (DOC), Ordinary Time, Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism, Religion, Spiritual, Worship on November 5, 2007 | 2 Comments »
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 [...]
