Today I happened upon this little piece of Matthew’s Gospel (9:27ff), paraphrased by Eugene Peterson in The Message: As Jesus left the house, he was followed by two blind men crying out, “Mercy, Son of David! Mercy on us!” When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I can do this?” They said, “Why, yes, Master!” He touched their eyes and said, “Become what you believe.” It happened. They... Read more
From the bulletin this past Sunday: This week’s project features a painting showing a door and blood-covered door post, a central piece of the original Passover drama recounted in our Exodus passage today. Caroline describes her work, “I used several different colorful inks to paint using the Chinese Brush Painting technique that I have been studying at the Chinatown Cultural Community Center for the last year.” Read more
I’d like to start out by saying that, while this is my personal blog, I know the lines between regular person with an opinion and pastor of a church are kind of blurry. So, while I am writing about politics today, I’d like to be sure to note at the beginning that I am not endorsing a party or a candidate, and also to say there are many lovely and faithful members of my faith community with various political persuasions.... Read more
This week’s art was a burning bush pop up book. Beautiful! There were shoes all over the altar and around it this week. See more on video at Caroline’s site. Read more
We can never forget. Read more
Sorry for the provocative, slightly inappropriate title. Couldn’t resist. “Women who behave rarely make history” was something Laurel Ulrich said. I can’t imagine why, but several people have given me gifts with that very slogan printed on them . . . . Anyway, this was the phrase that kept coming to mind as I studied the lectionary text from Exodus last week and began preparing the sermon. The text was the lead-up to Moses in a basket on the Nile,... Read more
One week until school starts. Children about to kill each other or get killed by their mother. Cries of “I’m BOOOOOOOORED” echoing through the house. Time for the Olympics. At our house this week that meant spending a whole morning in an assigned wing of the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery; choosing a piece of art; researching said art and artist; creating a report that followed an assigned rubric; making an oral presentation to a panel of judges (two parents and three... Read more
Here are a few more thoughts on the subject, which I started blogging about in July. Just busy doing my job, I ask . . . “Do you have a church at which you worship regularly?” She answers: “No. I haven’t been to worship regularly in almost two years.” I say, “Oh, are you looking for a church?,” thinking to myself: possible new member??!? She says: “I’m still recovering and I’m not sure I’m ready yet. I used to work... Read more
“Be with us, Lord God of Moses and Jesus, when new kings arise and our comfortable Egypts collapse, come apart, unravel, become opportunities to discover in new ways who we are and where our true home waits. Be patient with us when we confuse bondage with security and enjoy slavery to what is less. Make us brave when the darkness comes and grant us the courage to search for the more that awaits us. Amen.” Fr. William Dols Read more
Yesterday was my fifth official anniversary as pastor at Calvary. The staff and congregation surprised me during worship and gave me a beautiful stole. Really, I mean, sending me out of Church Council meeting to discuss something “private” was actually kind of a tip off, but usually I am the one planning things in worship. Worship is my favorite experience of all at church, so their words and this beautiful stole left me really touched. Today, though, I learned the... Read more
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