The two garden plots outside the doors to the parish house are bursting with life. Each day as I come to work, I notice new plants blooming, or sending up shoots, or shedding petals or leaves. I also notice little green things sprouting up that look kind of ugly to me, but I don’t touch … Continue reading Message: Weeding in God’s Garden… →

While the United States’ official national anthem is “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” I’ve always been partial to the country’s unofficial anthem, “America, the Beautiful.” Preparing for this Sunday’s ecumenical worship service with our neighbors at Episcopal Church of the Advent, I’m hearing the line America, America, God shed His grace on thee / and … Continue reading Message: From sea to shining sea… →

These comments were prepared as introductory remarks for discussion of a memorial calling on the ELCA to commit itself to address bullying, harassment and violence at the 2011 Metro Chicago Synod Assembly, titled “The Reign of God is Like…” A copy of the original version of the Resolution can be found here. Reverend Chair, My … Continue reading Message: The Reign of God is Like… →