Danielle Shroyer’s new book “Where Jesus Prayed: Illuminations on the Lord’s Prayer in the Holy Land” is a collection of meditations on praying the Lord’s Prayer throughout her two week pilgrimage to the Holy Land. On the second day of my two week pilgrimage to the Holy Land, we begin our morning at the Church of Multiplication in Tabgha. This simple church is where Christian tradition remembers Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand. Our fearless driver, Tahir, pulls our white... Read more
I guess there is no bad place to call for an end to execution. But Philadelphia, the City of Love, is a really divine place for his Holiness to denounce death. Just this year, Governor Tom Wolf announced a halt on all executions in Pennsylvania, citing deep concerns about errors and biases inherent in the system. A recent study shows that a majority of death sentences are coming from only 2% of US counties. Philadelphia County has the third largest... Read more
While many bemoan the decline of the American religious, one fact remains: religiously affiliated or not, 55 percent of people in the United States pray each day. Though institutional religion may be going out of style, this ancient spiritual practice seems to be holding steady. But, why, as a nation that is allegedly turning more secular, are we still praying? “I’ll pray for you,” is a common phrase in my Southern state, signaling the conclusion of a social encounter. It... Read more
“It is not doing the thing which we like to do, but liking to do the thing which we have to do, that makes the difference.” — Goethe Can you tell the difference between canned soup and homemade soup? The difference is, in part, the love (or lack of it) that goes into creation of the soup. Even vegetarians know of the alleged therapeutic value of homemade chicken soul to “cure” the common cold. The therapeutic value of homemade soup... Read more
There’s nothing like a campaign season to remind us of the worst of humanity. It’s not unusual to catch a bit of a stump speech and think, is that person part of the same human race that I am? This week it’s Ann Coulter stumping for Donald Trump, and while I try not to give the woman any oxygen or air time in my life, her words are so horrifically hateful and so gleefully delivered, that I really kind of... Read more
“Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.” ~ Deuteronomy 32:2 I am envious of my child. He gets to soon be welcomed by an entire group of new teachers; each with something to offer, and a way of offering it, that will advance him in knowledge and skills that will render him, come next Spring, even better able to thrive in a complex, demanding, and ever-changing world.... Read more
A recent Pew Report shows that those who choose monastic, celibate lifestyles are in steady decline. The number of Catholic nuns in the U.S. has dropped 72 percent since 1965; men in the priesthood have decreased 35 percent in the same time frame. Culturally, it’s easy to understand why there might be fewer monastic volunteers. Many U.S. youth feel pressure to fulfill the American dream: attend college, graduate, and secure their place in the consumer culture. Children are often conditioned... Read more
by The Rev. Pam Brokaw Dreaming of a bright future can be more difficult in an economically depressed community – especially for its young people. However, for the city of Winlock, one church has found a way to plant seeds of hope that are truly taking root. In this rural community in southwestern Washington, many teens had never held a job or even knew how to apply for one. Now, thanks to YouthFirst Winlock—a program led by Winlock United Methodist... Read more
“Whatever is bringing you light, and life, and joy, move toward that. That’s God. We’re told that God is love, over and over, so move toward that love, however that looks like in your life. And whatever’s getting in the way of your search for that love, let it go.”– Reba Riley, author, Post-Traumatic Church Syndrome This week, a powerful new memoir hits the shelves called Post-Traumatic Church Syndrome: A Memoir of Humor and Healing, by new author Reba Riley. The... Read more
[Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a series of posts we’ll be featuring by the Rev. Deborah Dean-Ware, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last May.] Okay, you pastor types, I know you know the dream. The one where you show up at church missing one or more pieces of clothing. Or the one where you find yourself completely and totally unprepared. Or, worst of all, the combo one where you are unprepared and inappropriately dressed. Come on, pastors, I know you know the dream. They usually come to me... Read more
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