January 8, 2021 Gathering,I am hopeful. You read that right. I am hopeful. That sounds a little strange. After all, we still have a pandemic raging. We witnessed violence and chaos in our nation’s capital. Many of us still feel isolated and disconnected. The holidays have come and gone, and some of us are still waiting patiently for life to turn around. So where does the hope come from? In part, h...  Read More

Gathering,It is Christmas Eve, and I am not rushing around. I am not putting on a tie or preparing for 14 services. Instead, I am praying for you, and eager to worship alongside you. I am going to miss seeing you in person, but today there is an incredible opportunity for all of us, wherever we are, to worship together. Most of us have been so consumed with what is happening in our world day to da...  Read More

Wednesday, December 231 Corinthians 13:1-7Let’s all be honest with each other for a second. If you’ve been to a wedding, you’ve heard this little section from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians read aloud. Love is patient. Love is kind. Yada yada yada. It’s a beautiful sentiment, full of aspirations that we’ll likely never live up to in our relationships, but it feels really good for the beginning o...  Read More

Tuesday, December 22Mark 12:29-31, Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18In Mark, Deuteronomy and Leviticus we learn that we should “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.” Equally as critical is the fact that we must love our neighbors as we love ourselves.These passages strike me as a powerful lesson that our love for God and our ...  Read More

Monday, December 211 John 4:8, 4:16, 3:16, John 15:9-13There are particular somethings about you that bring delight to both God and others. The way your cheek curves, the scatter-color flash of your eyes, how the breeze seizes your hair and soars, be that beard or billow or buzz. The ways in which you walk and smile, each moving and speaking of the journey you’ve taken to get here. Within your bod...  Read More

Sunday, December 20The Fourth Sunday of AdventEvery Sunday during Advent we invite you to join us in lighting an Advent wreath in your home. These wreaths can be elaborate parts of your Christmas decor, or they can simply be four candles gathered from around the house (Pinterest is full of inspiration).Traditionally, many families light their Advent candle at dinnertime or during an evening quiet ...  Read More