(please consider listening along) Wednesday night after Vespers I was standing around talking to Aram about the unrest and despair in our country and about our Gospel reading for today which says Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And I said, you know, given the tangled unrest in our nation right now, I wonder if it’s possible to make a path STRAIGHT enough for the Lord, to which he replied, or, you know, GAY enough. Classic HFASS... Read more

  The first time I celebrated Advent I had no idea what was going on. I’d been married to a Lutheran seminary student for just a week when we moved to Eugene, Oregon for his internship at a small, Lutheran church. United Lutheran sat on a little grassy hill in a neighborhood dotted with 1940 bungalows – one of which would serve as our one bedroom home for a year while Matthew tried out being pastor-y with a group of... Read more

        (you can click above to listen to the sermon being preached) There were particular books that donned the shelves and coffee tables in pretty much every Christian home in the 70s and 80s. There was, of course, Joni – the autobiography of Joni Erikson, the Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis, and a book called My Utmost for His Highest. Parenthetically, I went on Twitter recently asking what I should title my latest book and my very... Read more

  I can’t make this up.  These are the 4 finalists for the Folio Awards “Magazine Cover; Lifestyle Category”.       Read more

Click above to listen along This Summer when I was at the Greenbelt Festival in the UK, I stood on the top of a tall grassy hill and I and 2 of my dear friends, Padraig and Doug[1], each preached on the beatitudes. The event was called Sermons on the Mount and it was my very favorite thing about the festival. I spoke that day about how I think it can be easy to view the sermon on the mount... Read more

Yesterday I had the honor of holding little Imogen, our newest housemate, just one day old. All four of the Eakins were laying in bed and I leaned over and said a blessing over the new baby. And I couldn’t help but think of our text for today when Jesus is asked if it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. And no, not because now with an extra dependent the Eakins will get a tax break. I thought of... Read more

Click above to listen along!     Bethany started a hilarious meme this week on Facebook. She used a picture of Rebel Wilson’s character Fat Amy from Pitch Perfect to start a “sometimes I feel God convicting me” meme – her first one said “Sometimes I feel God convicting me to do crystal meth, but then I think…hmmm…better not” One of you recently forwarded me an email from someone who you haven’t heard from in years, who suddenly came out... Read more

(click above to listen along) Yesterday we had an amazing Welcome to House for all Sinners & Saints brunch. About 45 people gathered to get to know each other and the church a little better and to of course, eat breakfast casserole. As is our practice, we all shared what it is about this church that draws us here or keeps us here. And then we tried our best to share with the new folks what House is about, what... Read more

I recently talked to a woman who, when her young brother died tragically, her church said irretrievably stupid things to her like “it must have been God’s will” as though that is a comfort, as though pawning suffering off on God is doing anybody any favors whatsoever. To be honest, and call me a heretic, but this is a concept in theology that’s always bugged me. It’s called “the sovereignty of God” it’s the idea that everything that happens happens... Read more

    Click above to listen along! Years ago a couple friends of mine, who are both stand-up comics, decided that for the Valentine’s Day season, they would try and get in on the chocolate heart business. Only, their chocolate hearts were special. Because their chocolate hearts were anatomically correct. Complete with 4 chambers and a red aorta. They even came packaged in a little white box with a handle that looked just like the igloo coolers in which organ... Read more