Time for some fun. How about a story? In the summer of 2017, Cassie and I invited some friends to our annual week in Lake Tahoe. Nearly a century ago, Cassie's great-grandfather received a plot of land south of Tahoe on Fallen Leaf Lake. Two decades later, his sons - one of whom was Cassie's … Continue reading Monday Funday: Storytime →

#ThinkAheadThursday Now that Easter Sunday has come and gone, we now look at post-resurrection Scripture. The book of Acts is the only book of the Bible that provides us with a narrative account of the life and work of Jesus's disciples after his resurrection. Sunday's reading is Acts 1:1-14, and I'll be focusing on verse … Continue reading Be My Witnesses… →

Join me (and Ruth!) for a weekly fireside chat as we read and consider the 23rd Psalm. https://youtu.be/3g7Rpdzp-oE

We are continuing with our Tuesday tradition of learning and studying spiritual practices that are both helpful during this time of social distancing and generally useful for our spiritual lives anytime. This week, we'll explore "Blessing Others/Encouragement." I have seen wonderful examples and heard amazing stories of how people are blessing and encouraging one another. … Continue reading Spiritual Practice: Blessing Others/Encouragement →

#ThinkAheadThursday Open up to Mark 16. Seriously...go grab a Bible, or look it up online. Mark 16. I'll wait. Got it? Good. Check out Mark 16:1-8, our text for Easter Sunday. Let me know when you finish verse 8. See anything different? According to the most ancient manuscripts of Mark that we have, this is … Continue reading He has been raised; he is not here →

This week's fireside chat focuses on six questions to keep us engaged and well in the midst of social distancing. (These have been shared on Facebook, and I saw it on my previous church's page): What am I grateful for today? Who am I checking in with or connecting with today? What expectations of "normal" am I letting go of … Continue reading Fireside Chats: Today →

In an age where our friendships have become more and more virtual, let's explore what it means to have spiritual friendships. The cultivation of spiritual friendships is itself a spiritual discipline. Like last week, I'm using Adele Ahlberg Calhoun's Spiritual Disciplines Handbook (which I just discovered is on sale on the publisher's website to promote reading together … Continue reading Spiritual Practice: Spiritual Friendship →

This week's "Bringing Sunday into Monday" post highlighted this quote from the Palm Sunday sermon: "Use each and every emotion we feel to connect with God. When you feel excited or hopeful, give thanks to God. When you feel tired and worn out, find a place to rest in God’s presence, even if it’s for … Continue reading Palms, Cloaks, and Hope →