Dear Church, I write this today with an acute awareness of the toll this quarantine is taking on our Body and our bodies. Let’s speak to both of these realities, briefly: The toll on our Body (church) Most of our social interactions are on our…
Re-opening Church?
Church Family, Our Governor announced over the weekend how Indiana plans to open up over the next several weeks from our “shelter-in-place” mandate. Understanding the fluidity of the situation (everything can change in a day), we want to begin to prayerfully consider how we gather…
“Zoom Fatigue”: Why We Feel It and What To Do About It
Dear Sisters and Brothers, As the weather becomes warmer, the sun shining bright, neighborhoods begin to swarm with people in yards and on sidewalks. The great winter human hibernation is coming to an end! The Tebbe family is spending every possible moment outside: we’re eating…
Self-Care During a Pandemic
Dear Church, All of us, I think it is safe to say, are under an increased measure of stress and anxiety. In times like this one, of the first things we abandon are healthy rhythms of self-care. Here are some things I’m learning about how…
Details for Online Worship This Sunday
Dear Church, As we move into our second weekend with virtual worship I’m reminded how blessed and sacred our time is together. Fr. Ben and I are looking forward to seeing you Sunday at 11:15am, hearing God’s Word together, praying with you, and receiving God’s…
God at Work in Our Lenten Life Together
Dear Church, As we enter the third week of Lent together, pause with me to assess where God is at work in our common life together: What appetite is there a deep invitation from the Spirit for you to entrust to Jesus? Where are there…
Lent Begins (and a poem from Carlo)
Beloved, Today Lent begins! We will gather in just a few hours for a Public Ashes “Drop-in” in Bates-Hendricks from 12-2pm (with a short service at 12:15pm), and we gather tonight at 7pm for a joint service with Spirit of Joy for a full Ash…
Reflecting on a Beautiful Congregational Meeting
Dear Church, Last Sunday we held our first congregational meeting, and to be honest, Fr. Ben and I were a bit concerned about it! We still had a couple budget decisions to make when we called a last-minute Vestry meeting last week. Then Fr. Ben…
Justice, Nonviolence, and the Way of Jesus
I’ve been thinking lately on Jesus’ command in Matthew 5:38-42: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you that you must not oppose those who want to hurt you. If…
How to “Examine Yourself” at the Eucharist
During our Sunday Eucharist liturgy walk through this past Sunday at 9:30am, someone asked an important question: “How should we ‘examine ourselves’ when we come to the Lord’s Table?” The question arises from a direct quote of St. Paul from his correspondence to the Corinthians.…
