They didn’t train us for this in seminary. And by this, I don’t mean pastoring through a global pandemic, or becoming video producers or online educators. Although most of us didn’t know much about that before the COVID-19 quarantine, so we’re all learning on the job, no?
No nos entrenaron para esto en el seminario. Y no … Read the rest
Continue reading "Holy Fracture/Santo Fracaso" »
“Unbind him, and let him go,” said Jesus to Lazarus who had just emerged from the tomb. That’s from the 11th chapter of John’s Gospel. And then from the 20th chapter: “Do not hold on to me” said Jesus to Mary Magdalene when he himself had emerged from the tomb. While our Christian scriptures insist—from beginning … Read the rest
Continue reading "Once, and for All" »
“Rabbi, who sinned, that we are all in quarantine?” The Chinese? The Europeans? Fox News?
We mostly don’t ask that kind of question anymore, at least not of our religious leaders. Exactly nobody has asked me whose sin caused the Novel Corona Virus epidemic, although a few people have asked me if we are living in the end … Read the rest
Continue reading "What's the Question?" »
Did you know that the two most common stress dreams for North Americans are showing up unprepared for the test, and being naked in public? I bet just my mention of those dreams makes a few of us feel anxious, because they are such unsettling experiences. I haven’t had a stress dream for a while, because the last … Read the rest
Continue reading "Pass/Fail" »
My friends, repent. For the kingdom of heaven has come near. What a great invitation to our annual meeting!
That kingdom of heaven thing; it sounds like a good idea, no? But since it’s one of those many church-ey phrases that we don’t really use in everyday conversation, I found myself curious about what it might mean. Matthew … Read the rest
Continue reading "Repent: Change Your Mind" »
How do you write a sermon when you don’t know what’s happening next? Full disclosure, I usually start working on sermons at least a week in advance, sometimes more. I like to have at least that much time to savor the appointed scripture readings; Bible study is really one of my favorite ways to spend time. … Read the rest
Continue reading "What Next, Wilderness?" »
On the border between Berkeley and Oakland, there is a public art installation that consists of eight foot tall steel letters that spell “here” and “there”. Berkeley being the here, and Oakland being the there. Perhaps it was meant as a rejoinder to Gertrude Stein’s famous statement about Oakland: “there’s no there there”. But the artist is silent … Read the rest
Continue reading "Here to There" »
Last Monday my father and stepmother flew into town to share Thanksgiving with us. I went to SFO planning to pick them up, but I inadvertently made them wait. Or rather, Southwest airlines made us all wait. And for an unexpectedly good reason. Their flight had departed late from Denver, so Dad called to let me know he’d … Read the rest
Continue reading "Awakened in Time" »
What a way to begin ministry together! Consider the stories of faith we’ve heard this morning: a deceitful patriarch Jacob getting his hip put out of joint while wrestling with God, and a strict Paul admonishing his protégé Timothy to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. And then there’s that peevish judge in Jesus’ parable, who … Read the rest
Continue reading "Persevere in Hope" »