Devotionals

Then Peter came and said to him, ‘If another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. –Matthew 18:21-22 On Fridays, our daily Lenten devotion takes the form of an invitation: to take an action that […]

“May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.  Genesis 28:3 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.  Numbers 14:1 When I lived in Cambridge from 1976-1996, I became part of a very close-knit community of socially-conscious singer-songwriters, most of whom lived within […]

“Deep calls to deep…”–Psalm 42:7 Beloved community; deep and wide The width of community is usually not a problem for me.  I come from a big family, I enjoy meeting people, I teach 100 students each day.  Small talk and pulling others into conversation are well-practiced skills that enable a certain level of interaction and connection.  But engaging […]

Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy!–Proverbs 31: 8-9 Call out from your nest with a friend nearby! Wherever you squawk truth to power it is sacred work.   –Fran Bogle, photo from the Audubon Rookery in […]

“This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’–I Corinthians 11:24b On Sunday, April 6, our young people created this table runner for our communion table, using images that remind them of welcome, eating together, and being community. Below are a few photos with more details.           […]

“What is community?” by Laura Beck For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:20) Community. I was curious so I looked up the dictionary definition. The first one was: “a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.” The second […]

When Saying Good-bye Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.    They will perish, but you endure; they will all wear out like a garment. You change them like clothing, and they pass away,      but you are the same, and your years have […]

As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.–Isaiah 66:13 Today, we continue our Lenten Friday practice of doing something to deepen our connections or widen our welcome. Our special offering for April is an offering of items for gift bags to be given out at A Place to […]

‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.–Matthew 10:40 May we sing a joyous welcome to friends from many faiths. Amen. –Photo by Art Norton

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. –Ephesians 2:19-21 Three generations of women greeted the Just Peace Players in a remote church […]