October 4 has long been celebrated as the feast day of Saint Francis of Assissi (1181-1226), who is the patron saint of animals and ecology. Since the 1920s, the date has also been celebrated as the secular World Animal Day. One traditional way to honor the legacy of Saint Francis has been to hold an animal blessing service on or near October 4. Francis saw God reflected in nature. In his hymn, … [Read more...]
August 28, 2022
The seasons are changing again and with them, seasonal decor is also changing! When I first learned that I would be not only moving across the country but living alone, I put together Pinterest boards as I looked for furniture and planned out how to decorate the manse. You've all seen my Starry Night-themed craft room in worship and evening prayer live streams. The guest room is mostly green … [Read more...]
July 27, 2022
Because it's summer, a season when many individuals and families make time for travel, I thought I would share the story of the most epic road trip my family ever went on (disclaimer: I had not yet been born...and neither had any of you). Once upon a time, my great-great-great-great-grandfather, Wilhelm Keil, was born in Prussia (now Germany). By the time he was in his early 30s, he had … [Read more...]
June 15, 2022
On Pentecost, we started a new art project for all Peoples: a tablecloth and hangings for the pulpit and lectern that will be covered in our handprints!!! At Pentecost, the first generation of believers, who came from every nation under heaven and lived all kinds of different lives, came together to create something new: what we now know as “the church." With our new paraments, all of our … [Read more...]
May 15, 2022
My grandmother used to make stained glass until she lost her studio space around the time I was born. Any time I left or returned home, I would see the red roses she made for the front door or the panel of butterflies over the back door. The windows of the room that she had set up as the grandchildren's play room had clear windows with borders of different colored blocks and three different pieces … [Read more...]
February 2, 2022
2021 was tumultuous, as we entered a second year of pandemic life. We began the year worshiping at home as I led Sunday morning and Wednesday evening services from my craft room, using only music in the public domain. In February, Ken Guzmán and Josette Rechul offered to share their musical gifts, which gave us a reason to purchase licenses giving us the right to use more modern music in our … [Read more...]
January 1, 2022
November 24, 2021
Every Advent, we begin again--starting the church year over, returning to the beginning of the story as we wait for Christ to come into the world. It's a season of preparation and candlelight, a season of hope and longing for the world to be transformed. We sing old songs while looking towards a future that we can only dream of. While in many ways, this year's Advent season is a bit brighter than … [Read more...]
September 10, 2021
I don't know how closely you all have been following TikTok* trends over the past year, but for the record, I've been singing sea chanteys since before they were cool. Once upon a time, before one could fly across the ocean in a matter of hours, people might be separated from their loved ones for years at a time. It had been two or three years since I'd been able to visit any of my family before I … [Read more...]
July 22, 2021
Did you know that if you ever miss a service or want to re-visit one, you can find a full index of all online services on our website? For every Sunday worship, Wednesday evening prayer, and special service that we've had since March 18 of last year, the index can take you to a recording of the service, the online bulletin (where you can not only read through all of the readings and … [Read more...]
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