Elsa Anders Cook
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Premonitions of Grief
Yesterday, another United Church of Christ pastor dared to ask a group of her colleagues and friends if we share in her experience of receiving premonitions. Stories bubbled up from within this trusted circle as much as they bubbled up… Continue reading
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Blessing of Teachers
Many churches had their kick off celebrations this past Sunday. Some are waiting until this coming Sunday to mark the big day when everything goes back to normal. All of the programming starts up again for the kids and adults.… Continue reading
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Blessing of the Backpacks and Briefcases
Today social media is awash with smiling children on front porches and stoops waiting for the yellow school bus to arrive and take them off to school. It is the day after Labor Day and it is the day where… Continue reading
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The No Plan Plan
I don’t get to my home church very much. In fact, I’ve only been for worship twice in the past year. Once was my first official visit. The next Sunday I joined as a member. Since then, I’ve been busy… Continue reading
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What To Do Without a Church Musician
It happens every once in a while. A vacation is scheduled. Plans are made. Maybe someone forgot to call around and secure someone to fill in or maybe there really is no one available. This seems more and more probable… Continue reading
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Recipe for Learning to Pray
Last week, I finally finished Carol Howard Merritt’s Reframing Hope: Vital Ministry in a New Generation. It really shouldn’t have taken me that long and it is certainly no reflection on the book. It’s me. I had three chapters back… Continue reading
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How We Write Clergy
I am a character in a book. I learned of this news from a Facebook message. A member of the community had written a book and he wanted to know if it was alright to name the church in the book.… Continue reading
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Prayers for Places of Honor
In this week’s gospel, we hear Jesus say, “Friend, move up higher.” It is a call for justice. It is an act of love. It is a reminder to remember how God sees us and offer each other that same honor as… Continue reading
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What is the Meaning of Life?
I’m working on my first chapter. Or I’m trying to work on this first chapter. I’m trying to stick with it. I’m trying to actually finish it rather than jumping ahead to some other chapter that is not quite so hard.… Continue reading
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Prayers from the Pantry
Sometimes writing liturgy is like staring in the pantry and wondering what the heck you can make without going to the store. I resisted the temptation to go find some really great prayers written by others. (That would be the… Continue reading
