Blog Posts

Homeless in Our Town?

3 min read

Since high school I have been drawn to ministry among the poor. Part  of it was because we grew up poor (at least compared to those around us,  we weren’t on the street or

Conversion(s) b

2 min read

Just as I was heading to bed last night I learned that Howard Zinn, history professor and author at Boston University, had passed away yesterday from a heart attack. When I think about the conversions

Reader Poll: Sermon Texts on the Blog?

1 min read

[crowdsignal poll=2580078] Would you like for Wess’ sermon texts to be posted on the blog so you can read them? (polling)

A Thought for Quakers on Change

1 min read

I am preparing my discussion for our Sunday morning meeting for worship and am thinking a lot about what Kester Brewin calls “wombs of the divine,” and creating the necessary space for something new to

Favorite Music of 2009

4 min read

Here’s a list of my favorite, or at least most listened to, albums from this past year. Elvis Perkins In Dearland Elvis Perkins in Dearland’s self-titled, second album arrived this year and it

Dowd on (Role) Modeling

2 min read

I came across this today while I was doing some back reading from this weekend’s newspaper. It struck me as really insightful: After the baseball steroid scandal and the disappointing news that Tiger’s

Home From a Retreat at the Beach

2 min read

This past Friday I gave a bit of a cry-for-help and have been feeling under a lot of pressure lately given my schooling, job, and the recent (beautiful) events in our lives.  So what better

Finding God in the Chaos?

1 min read

With the new baby having arrived, working on a final paper for my methods course this quarter, having been sick for a week, signing for the title of our new house, plus all the regular

Organizing Ministry in DevonThink Pro

3 min read

[This is a tutorial on software I use for writing and organization.] When I started pastoring I created a DEVONthink database for all things ministry oriented ((See my other posts on DTP here and here)

Freedom Friends Church Faith and Practice

1 min read

Freedom Friends Church in Salem Oregon is currently an independent meeting that has recently written their own Faith and Practice. A number of Friends, Monthly Meetings and Yearly Meetings, have been interested in reading about

Old Quaker Discipline on the Poor

1 min read

While I was researching for a recent sermon I came across some great quotes on poverty from 18th Century Quakers. One thing I loved was that the section on plainness and living an unfettered life