So...um...I accidentally dyed my cat pink. Yes, I know, I have previously threatened to give her a colorful pedicure, and yes, to be fair, I did recently bleach half of my own hair and dye it bright purple. But dyeing the cat was an ACCIDENT. For many many years, one of my favorite parts of Christmas morning was balling up wrapping paper to throw either at my brothers or at the … [Read more...]

As we enter into January and the beginning of a new year that we fervently hope will be better than the one we are leaving behind, I'd like to share a few more ideas for new spiritual practices as suggested by my colleague in ministry, the Rev. Linda Kurtz, who serves at the First Presbyterian Church of Lexington, Kentucky. As we dream of a future in which we can all receive vaccinations and … [Read more...]

Christmas is around the corner and whether you are spending it alone, with a spouse, or within a quarantine bubble, I wanted to make sure to provide plenty of spaces for prayer, singing, lament, and fellowship throughout the week. Monday, December 21 is the winter solstice--the longest night of the year. I will be leading Peoples' third Longest Night service, along with Mary and Doris. Both … [Read more...]

During Advent, the words of Isaiah and the words of John the Baptist call us to "prepare the way." Throughout my life, the countdown to Christmas has always been a whirlwind of preparation, whether it was preparing for final exams, preparing holiday cookies, preparing decorations, preparing gifts, or, more recently, preparing liturgies and spreadsheets and bulletins and painstakingly edited music … [Read more...]

This week, we began the Advent season in the midst of a third wave of COVID-19 infections across the country, with 265,000 deaths, including 9,500 in Michigan. This season of our lives together has been a difficult one and while there is some light at the end of the tunnel with multiple vaccines on the way, we’re not there yet. This is a season of waiting. Advent is a season of waiting, even when … [Read more...]

As we enter into December and the beginning of the Advent season, I'd like to share a few more ideas for new spiritual practices as suggested by my colleague in ministry, the Rev. Linda Kurtz, who serves at the First Presbyterian Church of Lexington, Kentucky. As we prepare the way of the Lord, whose incarnation we celebrate at Christmas, I invite you to consider changing up the way you pray and … [Read more...]

This week's newsletter article was written by a colleague in ministry, Pastor Debbie Sperry of Moscow First United Methodist Church in Moscow, Idaho and shared with permission. ~~~ Grace sometimes feels like an enigmatic term. What do we mean when we talk about grace? Grace is profound—an unmerited gift from God. But it can also take the shape of ordinary every day type things. Below is a … [Read more...]

We have a guest writer for our newsletter this week! One of my colleagues in ministry, the Rev. Alina M. Kanaski, wrote this lovely second part to an article I shared in August. Pastor Alina serves two churches: Chartiers Valley United Presbyterian Church and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, both in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ~~~ You may remember that a few months ago I wrote a letter to you … [Read more...]

As we enter into November and the start of cooler days, I'd like to share a few more ideas for new spiritual practices as suggested by my colleague in ministry, the Rev. Linda Kurtz, who serves at the First Presbyterian Church of Lexington, Kentucky. As the world changes and as the leaves change, I invite you to consider changing up the way you pray and seeing if one of these practices might … [Read more...]