Dear America, How Ya Been? is a sermon delivered at South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society December 2018 about my love for the dream of liberty, welcome and respect of individuality that I find at the heart of America and having the hard political conversations to cross the divides we have…
The Risk of Caring
The Risk of Caring is a sermon delivered in March of 2017 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ogden where I was invited to preach as a guest speaker. This sermon shares stories from chaplaincy and talks about the holy ground we walk upon when caring for others. I do…
Journey Hal·le·lu·jah
From soft moment, breath held tentative Praise rises with, first word sung Hal·le·lu·jah Raised high in song, in but one word, that word His face singing a lifetime I hear. Join with, being with, hearing all, knowing Moments through all of a life, each one Blessing me, sharing…
Unbound
On this morning Where bright wind kisses gentle sky, I wonder where you are now That your voice is no longer…then with a breath I feel air Brought all round the world; From a deep jungle far south, An arid desert to the west, Cold mountains north, Lush forests eastward. And…
Being and Doing
I think all too often our attention is focused on “doing” with each other when the greatest gift we can give is “being.” I know that the more I study ministry, the more I explore myself, the more this lesson comes to the center of my room. When we talk…
I Stand with Them
http://www.pnwumc.org/gc2012/what-does-a-statement-of-gospel-obedience-mean-for-the-church/ Read it. I have a fellow seminarian who’s Methodist jurisdiction has been bold enough to stand up for their LGBTQ members by declaring that paragraph 161F in their Book of Discipline is immoral and unjust. This is a bold, brave and courageous move. I am deeply inspired and impressed…
Our Circles
I wanted to share this…because I have been ranting in various conversations and classes recently about how our capitalist and small-tribe paradigm, which has served us for literally thousands upon thousands of years is going to kill us all pretty soon. Seems I am not alone: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/zen-thich-naht-hanh-buddhidm-business-values Weeks ago I…
God Doesn’t Want You to Know if You have Cancer
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/02/01/416278/conservatives-cheer-komen-decision/ This is the kind of moronic mob-mind thinking that happens when you don’t actually read and interpret scripture and your relationship to the divine through a sense of conscience. I like this quote: “Last year, a shipment of pink Bibles were recalled after the publishing house behind them realized…
5: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
I am going to take today’s news to reflect on this principle, because news today demonstrates why we live with such commitment to this principle. Yes, it is hard to organize our congregations democratically. It can be hard for individual members of our communities to remain educated and informed enough…
Reflections on Elie Wiesel’s Night
Listening to Elie Wiesel’s Night has rocked me deeply…I think for the first time in my life listening to such horror, such pain, my mind imagined it in a personal way…the experience has been profoundly painful. Just as a listener, I am humbled to think anyone endured such an experience.…