Dear Siblings in Christ: Take a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Take another deep breath, then let that one out slowly, too. In every season of significant grieving or change, there is always that year of firsts. The first Christmas without a loved one. The first spring in a new community.The first trip with a newborn. The first day month of retirement. The days move on, regardless, but we experience them differently. All the regular subtlety of letting go and experiencing newness falls to a new clarity that has very little subtlety, at all. This Holy Week is … Continue reading 04-06-2020 COVID-19 PNC Update

Dear Siblings in Christ: Part of what I like about Palm Sunday is that it’s just a little ridiculous. It was meant to be. This was protest theater by Jesus of Nazareth that intentionally flew in the face of those messianic-like heroes of war that came into town on huge war-horses to throngs of cheering thousands. This moment was full of common people throwing common things into the road to make way for a teacher who was riding a common donkey to overthrow the common order. Jerusalem was in an uproar about this weird protest march heading towards the center … Continue reading 4-2-2020 COVID-19 PNC Update

Continue reading Interview by Rev. John Dorhauer

Dear Siblings in Christ:As this morning breaks, I’m thinking about all of you. We have all had to learn so much over the last few weeks to adapt to this pandemic season and we’ll learn more about worshipping together and being apart from each other this Sunday morning, too. Bill Grace worked with our conference in my early days here and he’s become a good friend. In his and Patricia Hughes’ book, Gracious Space they talk about the idea of “learning in public.” Essentially, this idea recognizes that there are somethings that we can only learn when we’re together so, in those … Continue reading As morning breaks…

Dear Siblings in Christ: Today at noon, is our weekly call about pastoral care in this strange moment (you can join using this information: Click on this link – https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/8278690536 or call 773-231-9226 and use Meeting ID: 827 869 0536). Since our very first conversation, those who gathered recognized that this period of social distancing would be hard for everyone at points and be particularly hard for those already facing a sense of isolation. Many churches and church members have begun to put together systems to reach out to those members of their congregation and community who might otherwise be … Continue reading 3-25-2020 COVID-19 PNC Update

Dear Siblings in Christ: This Sunday’s text from John feels a little too real and a little too magical for these days. I always struggle with these death-but-not-death stories of resurrection; these stories in which to make some alive again and leave others dead is a divine choice. Surely, as Jesus journeyed to Bethany, he and his entourage passed other families in mourning because of the death of a loved one or in anxiety due to illness in their home or sleepless because of economic distress or lonely or isolated or… The world is full of suffering and yet Jesus … Continue reading 3-23-2020 COVID-19 PNC Update

Blessings on all who worship this morning. Blessings on those who share the word and those who receive it. Blessings on those who share music and silence. Blessings on all those who helped plan the service. Blessings on those who help make the internet and phone connections function. Blessings on those who designed them and the software we use. Blessings on those who keep the power flowing to our homes. As we gather today in whatever numbers we gather we are supported by a cast of thousands. Blessings on them as we are blessed by being together. Continue reading In a few hours…

Dear Siblings in Christ: Monday mornings are when I usually start reading the lectionary text for the coming Sunday. The text includes one of my favorite passages in the Gospel of John (4:5-27). Its the story of Jesus meeting the woman at the well and the conversation that happened there. Three things struck me this week.  The first and second were somewhat unique to this moment in time. As Jesus and this woman met in this spiritually intimate moment, I thought about social distancing and handwashing. We’re talking about it so much these days that it’s become the lens for … Continue reading 3-10-2020 COVID-19 PNC Update

This well-known prayer attributed to St. Francis was a helpful centering for me this morning: “Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we … Continue reading COVID-19 PNC Update (3/6/2020)

In 1888, a huge snowstorm hit the US that no one saw coming. At that point and time, weather prediction was in its earliest stages and the primary weather information that was available came from looking at the sky, factoring in the wind direction, and guessing whether or not the clouds you saw on the horizon might be coming your way. In some areas, the day started with clear skies and mild temperatures but, within a couple of hours, temperatures plunged into the twenties, two feet of snow fell quickly, and the wind started to blow hard enough to cause … Continue reading Cancelling Worship Services (3-5-2020)