As a church, we have been in a season of learning about power: how it works, how to see it, and what to do with it. Mostly, we have been learning to reckon with our own power and privilege as a predominantly white, middle-class church.…
Belonging Before Believing
Church, This past Sunday we had the joy of celebrating Emmy Jo Crawford’s baptism together. It was so lovely to celebrate an in-person baptism together for the first time in over a year! I was not raised in a church that celebrated infant baptism, so…
Midwives For New Creation
Brothers and Sisters, On Pentecost Sunday we heard the good news proclaimed that the Holy Spirit has empowered us to groan along with all of creation – God is calling us to participate as midwives in the new creation He is birthing! In preparation for preaching this…
Making a Living of Loving
Church, Have you ever had a day when you felt like everyone around you is being beaten down by life? Monday was one of those days for me. First, I learned that a friend-of-a-friend of mine had passed away unexpectedly over the weekend. I hadn’t…
Doors, Distance, and Disagreements Can’t Stop Resurrection
Church, In what has felt like the longest year (and counting), COVID-19 has created so many opportunities to feel isolated and alienated from community. We have not been able to be together in the way that we would like to be for DNA groups, Table…
Persevering Together in This New Phase
Church, As vaccine eligibility opens up this week to everyone 16 and older, it seems we are entering a new phase of “Covid-tide.” Having lived very differently for the past year, we are hoping and praying that we are now in the home stretch. Even…
“Guesting” in the Kingdom as Gentiles
Church, God is inviting us to get real about our role in his ongoing work of reconciliation in creation. We are not the center of this story. We are Gentiles – we who were once aliens to the kingdom of faith, but God has invited…
Here Comes the Kingdom!
Church, This past Sunday in the sermon, I briefly commented on the gospel Jesus was proclaiming in our Gospel passage (Mark 1:14-20). We aim to keep our sermons around fifteen minutes at The Table so I didn’t want to spend too much time drawing comparisons…
Where’s the Christmas Joy?
Church, Last week as I prepared, I wrestled with whether or not I was including enough ‘Christmas joy’ in my sermon. Even after preaching it, I felt uncertain and was left pondering. To proclaim that “God is present with you in the mundane and the…
The Exhaustion of Advent in 2020
Church, As I sit here writing to you, I find myself short on energy and somewhat numbed by the lack of daily connections with others. This new monotony has somehow muted my sense of meaning. Each day seems so similar to the last that it…
