My Jewish parents used to tell me that the one thing “they” couldn’t take from me was an education. As I grew older, I learned that the “they” to whom my mom and dad referred were the various Gentile groups who’d persecuted the Jewish people for millennia. Though they were in no way academics, my hard-working parents did teach me that there was immeasurable value, if not virtue, in the act of learning. I was a bookish kid, and after... Read more
If anything, worshipping at a liturgical church has enhanced my gratitude for years of Jewish education and synagogue attendance. Studying the two thousand years of Jewish history pre-dating Jesus’ birth has helped me appreciate the structure and content of Christian liturgy as well as the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. It has helped me understand how Confirmation could sometimes be characterized as a ‘sacrament in search of a theology.’ And it certainly enhances my worship experience each and every... Read more
I don’t know how to go to a church service anymore. I spent a lot of time during the 1990’s writing and occasionally producing skits for church services, as well as a few full-length plays. These bits of spiritual theater were once known as “chancel dramas”. With the advent of the seeker service, they became a way for service producers to highlight conflict, questions and spiritual awakening in story form. My writing eventually led to producing church services for a... Read more
There is one point at which the Jewish festal calendar and the Christian calendar intersect, and it is Shavuot, also known as Pentecost. This year, the Jewish people will celebrate Shavuot (shah-voo-OAT) beginning at sundown on Saturday, June 11th. You’d be right in wondering how Shavuot and Pentecost align since the Western Church celebrated Pentecost on May 15th, and the Eastern (Orthodox) Church marks the day this year on June 19th. While the dates may diverge, Shavuot is the closest spiritual... Read more
When I was a kid, I was in a giant hurry to be a grown-up. The day after my birthday, I was already telling people I was almost the age I’d be on my next birthday. I think I got my driver’s license on July 7th, 1975. If the DMV was open on July 4th (a Friday, and the date of my 16th birthday) or the weekend following, surely I would have gotten it three days earlier. I couldn’t wait to vote,... Read more
If my memory holds and my body lasts into old age, I’m pretty sure I’ll still be able to sing all the words to Led Zeppelin’s 1971 hit, “Stairway to Heaven.” My kids, on the other hand, may have the lyrics from the CDs of Rebecca St. James and Delirious? tattooed into their long-term recall. My husband and I both grew up in non-Christian families and wanted to give our three children a different upbringing, so we home-schooled them. We... Read more
I sent the following newsletter to those on my mailing list last week. At the bottom of the newsletter, you’ll find an opportunity to enter a drawing for an Amazon gift card. The deadline for entering is midnight tonight. _________________________________________________ Hi friend! Thanks for taking a few moments of your valuable time to catch up with me. Time is the only non-renewable resource in our lives. Yet our over-busy schedules and always-on connection to technology whisper an untrue tale about... Read more
Women in their 20’s and 30’s understand the value of a mentor far more than women of my Boomer generation did when we were their age. For some young women, it may be an experienced businessperson who can coach them through the first years of establishing a career. For others, it may be a veteran mother who can help them navigate the bewildering choices faced by new parents. It’s been my privilege to serve as a spiritual mentor to several young... Read more
It sounds so basic, doesn’t it? After the drama of those mountains and valleys between Advent through Pentecost, “Ordinary Time” sounds like a long, dreary drive across North Dakota. Those of us in congregations not using the church calendar are familiar with the high points of the first half of the Christian year: Christmas and Easter. Ordinary Time? Not so much. The name Ordinary Time does little to commend it to people who hear “boring” in the word “ordinary”. It makes it... Read more
Remember these? The quintessential 90’s Christian accessories, the WWJD bracelet, T-shirt, Bible cover, bumper sticker (and today, an app) were all derived from the 1896 book penned by Charles Sheldon entitled In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do? The titular question got a lot of people pondering what their choices might look like if they’d act as Jesus would. In some cases, the question brought clarity: Q. Would Jesus steal this hubcap? A. No.... Read more
Pilgrim's Road Trip
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