This is something I wrote at the prompting of a colleague at Guilford College who wanted to know more about Quaker silence and our use of it on campus. Filed under "Frequently asked Quaker Questions." Dear friend, Quakers practice a listening silence when they gather for worship as
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My wife, Emily, recently asked me about my influences and it has me thinking about the spiritual significance and difference between being an influencer versus someone who is an influence. She asked the question, “Besides members of your family (because a typical response to this question often involves parents and/
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Dated: 2024-04-30 This is the theological reflection I wrote for the recording process I underwent earlier this year. It is a 26-page reflection inspired by McClendon's concept of "biography as theology." It takes the reader through my early spiritual formation to my becoming a Quaker minister
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It finally happened! I was recorded as a Quaker minister on May 19, 2024 at First Friends Meeting in Greensboro, NC. It was a true gift of affirmation and something I'd hoped would happen for a very long time. To be recorded in the Quaker tradition, is our
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Hey Friends, I hope that you are well and that the beauty of spring is upon you. Spring in Greensboro is about as glorious as it gets and I love it. The birdsong is in full harmony, the blooming flowers paint our neighborhoods with color, and I am enjoying late
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What is the role that music plays in the formation of our spiritual lives? Wess tells a little of his story of music and how it has shaped his life.
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If liturgies of empire lull us to sleep, silence is a practice of resistance that can wake us up. It can wake us up to the pain and suffering of our neighbors. Wake us up to our own pain, our own inaction, our bitterness, or call to act.
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About two years ago, I moved out of my home office and handed it over to our oldest daughter so she could have her own room. Up to this point, the three kids shared rooms in all of the houses we’ve lived in. But in 2021, we moved into
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My beloved WordPress is becoming more and more corporate and finding more and more ways to tie data-tracking and AI into their product. I’ve used the self-hosted WordPress install for most of my blog’s existence, but even this version of the platform is showing signs of data-mining, namely
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My son has recently gotten interested in basketball. This has had an unintended consequence. Up until now, he has not showed much interest in it but his friends at his new school invited him to join the 5-6th grade basketball team. One weekday evening in early February he let Emily
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About 50 miles south of where we live is the Uhwarrie National Forest 51,000+ acres lying just West of Badin Lake. I have been down to Uhwarrie a couple times, once of my motorcycle, and once with the family for hiking. As I’ve been getting more into cycling,
Continue reading →Dear Friends, I wanted to offer a little update since you haven’t heard from me in awhile. I am doing well and enjoying my sabbatical (read more about that below). What I wanted to let you all know is I am moving towards publishing solely from my blog: gatheringinlight.
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