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The Pastorate

28 posts

  1. Featured 5 min read

    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

  2. Featured 4 min read

    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

  3. The Pastorate 7 min read

    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

  4. The Pastorate 5 min read

    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

  5. Teaching 7 min read

    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

  6. Note

    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,

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  7. Note

    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.

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  8. Featured 6 min read

    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

  9. The Artful 1 min read

    Nancy Duarte on Effective Communication

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfQF3DXG-S4&w=640&h=360]

  10. Featured 2 min read

    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

  11. The Pastorate 1 min read

    “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,

  12. The Pastorate 1 min read

    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,

  13. Featured 2 min read

    Fall and Winter in the Life of the Spirit

    The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” – Jesus (John 10:10 NRSV)I love Fall. It is a beautiful transition

  14. The Pastorate 8 min read

    The Resurrection Community Part 1: Standing in the Midst (John 20:19-23)

    This was my prepared message for worship last Sunday. It is the first in a series looking at what it means to be the church in relationship to the final resurrection appearances of Jesus

  15. Featured 10 min read

    To Bless and Not to Curse (Openings and Closures): Romans 12:14

    Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Romans 12:14 Queries :: 1. What does it really mean to bless/curse another person with language? 2. In what ways have I been