“On the Harm We Have Done” (A Prayer)
Here is a moving prayer confessing the harm that we the church can too often cause: OUR Father, we look back on the years that are gone and shame and sorrow come upon us, for
Quotations
Kierkegaard: Christianity & Sitting Safe and Calm
A quote I came across today that helped me make sense of Mark 8:27-37: To want to admire instead of to follow Christ is not necessarily an invention by bad people. No, it is
Gustavo Gutierrez’s Definition of Poverty
Gustavo Gutierrez’s Definition of Poverty: “What then does being poor mean? I believe that a good definition does not exist; but we can approximate it if we say that the poor are the non-persons,
‘what thou hast been to me in the night’ James Nayler (A Psalm)
I’ve was reading a variety of quotes from early Friends in preparation for my message on Sunday and stumbled ever so timely on this one. It speaks to my current condition as something I
‘even the thorn-bush by the wayside is aflame with the glory of God’ (Prayer)
Here is a prayer out of the Walter Rauschenbusch book of prayers “For God and the People: Prayers of the Social Awakening.” I believe at least the middle paragraph can be attributed to St. Basil.
Advice to Ministers – Hannah Whitall Smith
Here is sound advice written to ministers, but really it’s good for any situation. “Years ago I came across this sentence in an old book: ‘Never indulge, at the close of an action, in
Quote: Presence is a Situation
What a great quote to reflect on for Christmas and the arrival of God in creation. It makes me think about all of the opportunities we have had as of late, with the increasing unrest
Nouwen and The Discipline of Gratitude
I really like what Henry Nouwen writes about the discipline of gratitude: Gratitude … goes beyond the “mine” and “thine” and claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift. In the past I
Fox On Black Friday
I came across this in my reading the other day and it made me think of some of the stuff I’ve seen from Rev. Billy Talen, especially in the documentary on Christmas, and then
My dear friends, dwell in humility… (Woolman)
At Camas Friends Church, we’re reading through the journal of John Woolman, a Quaker minister and abolitionist from the 18th century. Lately, I’ve been thinking about the values we often unknowingly impress upon
Practicing Discernment Together as a Church
About a month ago we began a Wednesday evening meeting at Camas Friends (the Quaker meeting I pastor). The goal of these meetings are to build our friendships with each other (so we eat together
John Greenleaf Whittier: The Eternal Goodness
The other evening I was fortunate enough to join some of our local unprogrammed Quaker friends in a meeting for worship. I needed and really appreciated the worship in silence. It is nice to be