Category Archives: Messages

We are not alone as we struggle with diversity of opinion, lifestyle, worship, and politics in our Meeting. We need to ask ourselves what radical visions lead to polarization in our Meeting. Dare we pursue potentially polarizing courses – perhaps related to global climate change, racism, economic injustice, inequalities in education, health care, and due process in the legal system? Can our meeting be both brazenly prophetic and empatheticaly pastoral? Continue reading →

The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that such statements which pretend to being foundational for faithfulness are at best tent stakes which mark where we are in our faith pilgrimage and the holes left from where they are pulled up when we move on are quickly filled in by the sand which had held them. We are wilderness wanderers and the appropriate role for our Elders is to point a way forward through a constantly changing landscape, not defend where we most recently erected our tents. Continue reading →

Adam Smith argued the philosophical notion that self-interest would lead to moral behavior as perhaps a replacement for Christian morality. Was he right? Continue reading →

So I’m thinking that what Jesus is saying is that whatever the concrete specifics of our prayers may be, the crucial thing is to pray that our hearts be aligned with God’s heart, and that what we seek as the “answer” to our needs be inwardly formed by the Holy Spirit. Continue reading →

At different times, in different circumstances we all may be and often are called to tryout different roles, identities, patterns of behavior some of which feel “tried and true” or even immutable not only for the sake of growing in our own discipleship, but to invite others — even or especially others who may seem perfectly happy with a privileged role they’ve got — to become more fully who they are in Christ, and to live more fully into the ministry to which Christ calls them. Continue reading →

,,,I rather like the idea that it is all the extraneous materials, the impurities if you like, which when added to melted sand turn crystal clarity to milky opalescence and which add colors to the glass. Continue reading →

Curly the quintessential cowboy asks: Do you know what the secret of life is? The city slicker Mitch answers “No. What”. Curly says: “One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything don’t mean ‘nuthen’.” “That’s great” Mitch replies. “But what’s the one thing?” Curly says “That’s what you’ve gotta figure out.” Paul figured it out for the Galatians… Continue reading →

In the New Testament there are two aspects to faith exercised. It is confident reliance on God. It is the act by which one lays hold on God’s offered resources and becoming obedient to what God prescribes, and, abandoning all self interest and self-reliance, trusting God completely. This is the meaning Paul implies for the noun ‘faith’. This isn’t Old Testament faithfulness – where one who exercises faith is made firm and reliable. That is relying on one’s own determination which, interestingly enough could be seen as ‘good works’. Faith is utter reliance on God. Continue reading →

… in our story today Jesus confronts the economic systems of his own time and provides an unexpected kind of healing. The text says ‘His heart went out to her’. No one asks Jesus to do anything. She doesn’t beg for Jesus’ intercession. The text just says that Jesus was moved to compassion. Continue reading →

we want to believe that God always stands up for us, if we stand up for God. God provides for those who obey God and do what is right. I’d certainly like to assure you of that. But I can’t. At least not is this life. When you or I chose to challenge the authorities or the prevailing opinions in our neighborhood or nation over a matter of injustice or oppression what we must be prepared to accept is rejection and punishment to the full extent of the law. Otherwise it’s not a risk. Continue reading →