Elsa Anders Cook
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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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Litany for the Birth on Christmas
It was raining all today and I was generally uninspired but sat my butt down in the chair and wrote the liturgy for Christmas Eve. Though I’m currently serving a congregation as an interim pastor, I was hired after I’d… Continue reading
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Published, Printed and Praying
More and more, I’m answering the call to write. So much so that I seem to be writing about writing. This seems a tad ridiculous so I hope you’ll forgive me for this — but here I go again writing about… Continue reading
Cooking with Elsa 