Cooking with Elsa

Elsa Anders Cook

  • The Problem with Evil

    I’ll admit it. I have a problem with evil. It’s not just that I don’t want it to exist. I’m literally not sure what to do with it. This is what I’ve realized in these first few weeks of Lent… Continue reading

  • Writing through Lent

    When it came time to pick a practice for this Lent, I chose writing.  It came quite easily as my parents had kindly celebrated my birthday by giving me every book off of my Amazon.com Wishlist including Rachel Hackenberg’s Writing… Continue reading

  • How to Make Ashes

    Every year, I enjoy the ritual of transforming last year’s palms into ashes. This year, I posted something about this ritual on Facebook which spurred a series of responses from some dear clergy friends who had little success in making… Continue reading

    How to Make Ashes

  • Stewardship! O Stewardship!

    Like every other organization that relies on the generosity of others, the church I serve is struggling during these economic times. We are not alone in this reality — but sometimes we act like it. Earlier this week, I sat… Continue reading

  • Transfigured

    After Leisurely Lectionary this morning, which admitted only ended moments ago, I raced back to try to remember what the word transfigured actually means. We were interpreting it as change this morning, but I’m not sure that’s right. Of course,… Continue reading

  • Epiphany for Epiphany

    Two weeks ago, I left sunny Florida feeling a bit demoralized. I’d just completed the third retreat for the Lewis Fellows complete with its requisite day-long seminar in freezing air conditioning and an additional day of visiting area churches. There… Continue reading

  • Best Sermon Ever

    It happened in the middle of Advent. I wrote a sermon that was completely and totally me. It was one of those sermons that just poured out of me. It wasn’t forced. I didn’t agonize over it. It was just… Continue reading

  • Questioning Social Media

    Today, while the internet is blacked out in protest, I am thinking about my online presence. It’s been on my mind a lot recently. It’s been on my mind ever since this case study about The Young Clergy Women Project… Continue reading

  • Leap Year

    From the top of Mount Culter Last year, I realized that this year is leap year — so I spent today practicing leaping. Not literally because I made the poor choice of trying to leap across a frozen mountain. I… Continue reading

  • Magnetic Personalities

    In this Lectionary cycle, we just can’t get enough of John the Baptizer. He’s everywhere. He takes up two weeks in Advent — and then, just after the wisepeople arrive. There is again on this Epiphany Sunday. When we cracked… Continue reading