A Little An Aside About The Quaker Nomad
In my last post, I wrote about Natalie Ramsland’s zine-making Quaker Project, Fold in the Light. It’s fresh, original, and inspiring. But I left out an aside I wanted to share here: One
The Pastorate
Origin Stories: Celebrating Barberton Friends Church
Recently, Barberton Evangelical Friends Church in Barberton, Ohio – the first church I ever worked in – celebrated their 75th anniversary. As a token of my own love and appreciation for this community and their investment in
Memory of Love: Practicing Pregnant Absence
“You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Then he
Are You Still Here? Thoughts on Leave-Taking
After telling a friend of mine that my family and I would be leaving the NW in a few months for a job change, she offered solid wisdom I have hung onto: “Do your best
Convers(at)ions in Community: On Creating Space for Dialogue Around the Sermon
This is a third post in a series of reflections on the nature of dialogue and transformation, or “convers(at)ion” as I am referring to it as for a little playfulness (see a and
Writing the Ending Is Always Hard
One of the things I struggle with the most are endings. Whether it is writing endings, envisioning the ending of a project, or saying goodbye. I struggle with exit strategies. I have no problem getting
Holding Tension in Community
There are many “tensions” or differences that we run into when building and existing within community. A faith community is no different. I think Camas Friends Church excels at doing this kind of work together.
In the Deep End With Grief: Thoughts On Pastoral Care to Those Hurting Most
As the previous year comes to a close, I’m reposting some articles from 2014 I wrote elsewhere on the web. This is a post I wrote about grief that originally posted on the blog
Nancy Duarte on Effective Communication
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfQF3DXG-S4&w=640&h=360]
Thinking Quakers, Money and Stewardship
A couple months back I started feeling the tug to wrestle with the topic of money in the church. As a preacher, I’ve largely avoided the topic like the plague. These are the kinds
“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
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