If you subscribe to my monthly newsletter, you know that in February I posted a liturgy of lament. A couple of months back, a church in Kirkland, Washington asked me to come and preach on the topic of forgiveness, as it relates to racial justice and reconciliation. And as the days and weeks approached, I kept wondering what I could really say about the topic that would actually be helpful. If you’ve been around these parts for any amount of... Read more
Well friends, you are in for a TREAT today. Alexandra Kuykendall is one of my favorite humans, and I’m so glad you get to get to know her through her words today! Do yourself a favor and buy all the books she’s written (which are listed in her bio), but otherwise, pull up a chair and enjoy today’s edition of “Listen, Learn & Listen Some More.” Proceeds from today’s post will go to RAICES. — As soon as I received the invitation,... Read more
I walked into the cathedral just after 12 o’clock today. The silence of the room felt almost deafening, especially when my ears are used to so much noise, when I fail to center myself in quiet. As my knees found their place on the worn and padded velvet kneeler, my hands draped over the back of the pew in front of me. Is it grace that no one is sitting in front of me? Maybe it is. Maybe it was. When... Read more
If you’ve been around these parts for awhile, you know that I commit to only reading black authors during Black History Month. While this began with a desire to honor and learn from my black brothers and sisters, this particular way of reading with intention has grown into something so much bigger and deeper – really, it’s grown into something that extends far beyond the scope of, well, me. After all, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “We know and... Read more
It’s time again for another Tuesday installment in the guest post series, “Listen, Learn and Listen Some More.” I’m so excited for you to know my new friend, Lynn Domina, who invites us to slow down and listen to those holy hallelujahs. Proceeds from today’s article will go toward Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center. — Lately I’ve been listening to different versions of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” My very favorite is a setting of Psalm 150 by cantor Azi Schwartz to Cohen’s music. Observant... Read more
It’s time again for another Tuesday installment in the guest post series, “Listen, Learn and Listen Some More.” I’m so excited for you to know my new friend, Stephanie Graney, who challenges each one of us to listen to our bodies as we get older. And I’m telling you, her wit-filled wisdom is GOLD. Proceeds from today’s article will go toward Bravemaker. — Listening to our bodies is seriously hard, especially as we grow older. We can tell ourselves we are only as young... Read more
A homily on Luke 2:22-40, given at Trinity Church on February 2, 2020. Enjoy! As I thought about this morning, I kept thinking about the word presentation. Presentation, if we look up the actual definition, means “the giving of something to someone, especially as part of a formal ceremony.” For me, I had to rid my mind of its association with our friends over at Microsoft, for this was and is something so much bigger, so much deeper. I had to stop... Read more
I’ve got the fourth in a guest post series called “Listen, Learn and Listen Some More.” Every Tuesday you’ll be invited into story from some writers who have something to teach the rest of us about the subject – and I’m so excited for you to know my new friend, Jonathan Puddle. You may recall listening to the two of us talk on this episode of the Puddcast …and today we get to listen in on how setting the table for others... Read more
I’ve got the third in a new guest post series called “Listen, Learn and Listen Some More.” Every Tuesday you’ll be invited into story from some writers who have something to teach the rest of us about the subject – as such, I’m so excited for you to read the words of Catherine Hervey. If you’ve been around here for awhile, you might remember “Where Art Thou?” from December of 2018. As per her words today, I’ll just say this: we get to... Read more
This week brings the second in a new guest post series called “Listen, Learn and Listen Some More.” You’ll still hear from me, of course, but every Tuesday you’ll be invited into story from some writers who have something to teach the rest of us. As such, I’m so excited for you to get to know Nicole Walters today; her short story, “Listening Without an End in Mind” is sure to make you think about when you’ve listened just to listen... Read more
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