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A Failure of Imagination
On the same day when my article appeared on New Sacred about how a progressive faith isn’t defined by issues, Susan Jacoby was interviewed on NPR’s Fresh Air. It was in fact just yesterday. Just yesterday, on my way home from the… Continue reading
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Blinking Cursor
“Keep your butt in the chair. You do it at the same time every day. You never wait for inspiration — it’s ridiculous, it will never come. No one in your family is going to hope for you to be… Continue reading
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Lessons from the Past
After worship was over, in the middle of the Annual Meeting of this tiny church I’m serving as interim pastor, we shared in the work of memory. Earlier that week, I had taped a blue line upon the wall of… Continue reading
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Letters to Heaven
Every year, as January comes to a close and the calendar turns to February, I start to wonder about what I’ll say to her this year. I wonder about what I would want her to know about this year and who I… Continue reading
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Transfiguration Communion
After writing this liturgy this morning, I am more convinced than ever that we should never, ever celebrate the Transfiguration of Christ without communion. Doesn’t this ritual hit all of the high notes captured in the mystery of this story?… Continue reading
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More Questions Than Answers
It wasn’t that long ago that started serving as an interim pastor at a small church celebrating 200 years amid questions of whether or not there will be a future beyond this anniversary. This morning, before worship began, one of the members… Continue reading
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Starting Over Again
My sermon ended yesterday with the bold proclamation that God is just beginning to do a new thing. The words have been ratting around in my head since I first typed them. Pushing and prodding and nudging toward this amazing possibility… Continue reading
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Heavens Are Opened
This Sunday marks one of my favorite liturgical celebrations where water is flung across the Sanctuary and we each remember our baptisms. It is the Baptism of Christ as we remember it told in Luke 3:15-17, 21-22. As our heavens are… Continue reading
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The Birth of Hope
I’ve been thinking a lot about hope — where it comes from and how we find it. Because it seems hard to find right now. Any proclamation of hope feels nonsensical. It feels trite and ridiculous. Or worse, it’s so obscure… Continue reading
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Let’s get cooking
Cooking is always about imagination and possibility. It’s about what these things can become together and I don’t think using words to attempt to approach God is any different.
We need each other to find inspiration. We share recipes and try new things. We wonder about what else could work even when don’t feel the least bit creative.
These pages are all about helping each other to cook up some good trouble. If you don’t find what you’re searching for above, please drop me a line to see if we can stir up some goodness together.
WELCOME TO MY KITCHEN
There are stacks of cookbooks in my actual kitchen and probably a sink full of dirty dishes leftover from another delicious feast but my virtual kitchen is full of liturgies and resources to pepper the worship experience in your congregation with love and hope. Find something new over in my kitchen.
“Cooking [up good worship] is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”
— Harriet Van Horn (adapted)
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Cooking with Elsa 