I imagine that you are, like I am, still processing and trying to understand the events of the last couple of weeks in our country. Our souls were shocked to see such violence and disrespect—disregard for the well-being of people and traditions and institutions. And we are still on edge as we hear about safety […]
Read more "Remembering Prayer"You know, it’s usually a fact of normal life: You smile at someone; they smile back. You call a friend on the phone and they answer (or you leave a message and they call you back shortly). You call your spouse’s name from the living room; he says, “What?” wherever he is. Call and response […]
Read more "Call and Response"This is the second of two reflections offered in the Good Friday service yesterday at Hancock Health. As a people of prayer, we know it to be true that prayer changes things. Prayer changes things in mighty and sometimes surprising ways. On our prayer chain at church we have so many stories of illnesses healed, […]
Read more "Prayers of Intercession"Yesterday at Hancock Health I had the blessing of participating in a virtual Good Friday service we offered for our community, knowing that many, many people this Holy Week will be unable to go out and attend services as they normally would. Here I want to share the first of two reflections I offered in […]
Read more "Pause for a Breath"Today’s Friendly Reflection for Lent could not be more perfect for the situation we find ourselves in today! Here is the full quote, from early Friend John Woolman: The place of prayer is a precious habitation: … I saw this habitation to be safe, to be inwardly quiet, when there was great stirrings and commotions […]
Read more "Morning thought: Wednesday"I am sure you have noticed this: We are living through an exhausting time. The relentless cycle of news, the rancorous political climate, concerns about our environment, worry about those who struggle, who are in need, who are sick and vulnerable—it’s overwhelming. With all this as the backdrop, we are still doing our best to […]
Read more "A Heart Refreshed"Well, Friends, unfortunately the light-hearted, easy message I had planned for us today (and already half finished) has been pre-empted by something else that felt more important to say this morning. If you’ve been following the news this week, you’re aware of the rising tensions and military action that resulted in the death of an […]
Read more "A Call for Prayer"Even if you try not to listen too much to the news, chances are that for most of us, this past week was an anxious one. We had threats and careless posturing from world leaders and increasing concerns about the possibility of nuclear war. Yesterday I learned that the Kenyan election results have in […]
Read more "Why here? Why now? Why Me?"