Thinking about Ash Wednesday I recalled glimpses, Bright moments over the year When I saw people, Young and old, Wise and foolish, Male and female As they might be, As they could be And it filled my heart with joy. But in the same moment I recalled Memories of myself, At my worst, Mean, spiteful,… Read more
Posts Categorized: Pastor’s Ponderings
Pastor’s Pondering 02/19/2020
Ordinary, from the Latin: Order, to rule, Ordinary, one who rules So to order one’s life Is to govern it; To follow an ordinary Is to be governed. Ordinary time, then, Is anything but ordinary, Unless our Ordinary is ordinary, As in lacking uniqueness. But if your Ordinary Is the one who forgave sinners, The… Read more
Pastor Pondering’s 02/12/2020
Open a book, And you are invited To enter a story. Say a prayer, Sing a hymn, Recite the creed, Read a bible verse, Cry for mercy, Ponder the news And you, and I, Are invited to enter Into the story Jesus told, The Good News That the Kingdom is at hand, That we matter,… Read more
Pastor’s Pondering 02/09/2020
I’ve seen so many rainy days, And despite this being one more Again this year, Despite so many plans That must be put on hold, This memory persists- I, sitting in my den mother’s living room, Watching the rain as I waited for my ride, My interior self, finding A place to sit in all… Read more
Pastor’s Pondering 02/02/2020
I am not blameless, Nor bold, Nor as wise as I’d like to be (perhaps not even close), Practicing kindness often wearies me, And doing my little bit of justice While the world burns’ Seems like Whistling in the graveyard- So, What are we to do? Blessed are all Who seem overpowered And underequipped, Said… Read more
Pastor’s Ponderings 01/26/2020
One thing may go wrong, Two calls may come with bad news, Three things may take longer than you thought. But at the end of the day, If a cat curls up beside you, Happy at your side, A long day has ended well.
Pastor’s Pondering 01/14/2020
What if we went for a walk And saw nothing notable- No pretty flowers, No gorgeous sky, No weird items Lying in the street, Neither stranger nor friend To speak to as we pass- What then? Even then, We still had those minutes, Consecrated by the breeze. We still had our thoughts, Sanctified by our… Read more
Pastors Ponderings 01/12/2020
ISAIAH’S SERMON The one we follow, The one who midwifes justice, He does not whine, he does not shout, He neither whimpers nor sulks. Instead he shelters the dreams of the poor, Nurtures the spirit of the oppressed, Takes each step carefully, As though through the forest at midnight. Passing through the wilderness, He rations… Read more
Pastors Pondering 12/29/2019
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor… Read more
Pastor’s Pondering: December 18, 2019
Pfeffernüsse and Zimtsterne, Vanillekipferl and Stolen For Christian and Inge My friend’s mother, Born in Germany, Passed on to him a love- A lust, really- A yearning, a nearly insatiable itch, For baking Christmas treats Pfeffernüsse and Zimtsterne, Vanillekipferl and Stolen, And whenever I was lucky enough To visit during Advent The kitchen counter groaned… Read more