I tried on the summer sun,Felt good.Nice and warm—knew it would.Tried the grass beneath bare feet,Felt neat. Finally, finally felt well dressed,Nature’s clothes fit me best. —Shel Silverstein, Tryin’ on clothes Dear friends, When I was growing up, my family spent each summer in a house by a lake. The moment we arrived, my siblings and I […]
Staff
Pandemic Learnings
Dear friends, As I write this, I am surrounded by piles of shorts and t-shirts, hiking poles and beach shoes, in preparation for vacation in the Adirondacks. I am looking forward to hiking with Jeannie the dog, canoeing with Fran (probably not with Jeannie), biking the rolling hills and eating fresh produce from local farm […]
A Joyous, Delicate Dance
Dear friends, What a glorious birthday party we had! A giant dove. Tongues of fire. Peace shared in dozens of languages. Lively, inspiring music. Bubbles floating. Popcorn turned inside-out. Children laughing. The Spirit moving through our joy at seeing one another; the Spirit moving through wires and waves to connect us from Massachusetts to Florida […]
From the Garden
“The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in […]
Loving, Connected, Inclusive and Safe
Dear friends, For more than a year, we have been learning how to be church during a pandemic. We have climbed the steep learning curve of Zoom. We have grieved the loss of members and friends and grieved hugs and meals and singing together. We have discovered new ways of connecting, worshipping, and reaching out […]
In Each Bud, There Is a Promise
I had the opportunity to preach in February, just a few weeks after having written my comprehensive annual report which began with early 2020, as I described totally normal worship. It then led the reader through a brief period of exploration as staff figured out what we could do after that “normal” period was no […]
The Owl in the Yard
“There the owl nests and lays and hatches and gathers her young in her shadow; indeed, there the hawks are gathered, each one with her mate.” —Isaiah 34:15 Dear friends, This is a bird house in my backyard, awaiting new occupants in the spring. The owl isn’t real, it’s piercing eyes and angry scowl are meant to scare […]
Reflections and Transformations
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of God never ceases, God’s mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:19-23 Dear friends, January is sort of a quiet month. It’s often cold and snowy, grey and dark. The excitement and […]
Virtual Epiphany
Dear friends, For the last twenty-four years, we have celebrated Epiphany in a joint worship service with our friends at Plymouth Church. This year, of course, it will look different, as we join together in a combined Zoom worship service on Sunday, January 3. We have invited Rev. Liz Garrigan-Byerly to preach in her […]
Music Appreciation
This month I want to draw your attention to the music appreciation sessions that happen every Thursday night (with rare exception) live from my dining room table. By my most recent count, this month we will hit our thirtieth session since the middle of March, when it seemed like something fun to do for a […]