Posts Tagged ‘hope’
Owning Your Own Disaster
Posted by: revjmk on: May 5, 2012
On March 2, deadly tornadoes ripped through our community. In the immediate aftermath, experts and volunteers and resources poured in from across the country. Now, two months later, we have established a long term recovery team with eight active committees in charge of everything from construction and volunteer management to spiritual and emotional care. Local [...]
Tornadoes, God and God’s People
Posted by: revjmk on: March 12, 2012
- In: Ministry Moments | Sermon
- 4 Comments
Exactly ten days ago, deadly tornadoes rolled through our region. Since noon that Friday, when my son’s school announced an early closing, every plan, task and to-do list has been tossed aside. Our town is just a few miles from Henryville, Indiana, which took a direct hit from an EF4 tornado. Our congregation has families that [...]
Fragile Hope
Posted by: revjmk on: December 4, 2011
B and I made our own Advent wreath this year, to sit on the kitchen table. The kitchen table is regularly the dumping ground for junk mail, school artwork, receipts, stray gloves and not-yet-put-away purchases. Its proximity to the back door makes it everyone’s first stop and first view upon entering the house. Since the [...]
Remembering 9/11
Posted by: revjmk on: September 8, 2011
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. There is a river whose streams make glad the city [...]
Together We Grieve, Together We Serve
Posted by: revjmk on: January 9, 2011
- In: Ministry Moments | Women
- 1 Comment
This has been a difficult week for my congregation. We have experienced the death of two beloved church members this week, as well as three unrelated deaths of family members (a mother, a father, a sister) of church leaders within the last two weeks. I have been responsible for officiating at four of the five [...]
Sermon Sapling: Advent 2, Praying with Hope
Posted by: revjmk on: December 1, 2010
Highlighted passage: Romans 15:4-13 This week is all about hope, a word that has endured a lot of attention in recent years. When the Obama campaign used “Hope” as its campaign theme in 2008, those who supported the campaign rallied around hope as our solution and salvation—even when the campaign never clearly defined what we [...]
Chilean Mine Rescue: Made For TV
Posted by: revjmk on: October 13, 2010
- In: Deep Thoughts | pop culture | Random | Sound Off
- 6 Comments
I have been captivated by the story of the trapped Chilean miners. I cried when I read about the note reaching the surface 17 days after the collapse of the mine, announcing all 33 were alive and unhurt. I cried again when I read that rescue might not come until Christmas. I rejoiced [...]
The Dream is the Truth
Posted by: revjmk on: February 23, 2010
This is my favorite passage in all of American literature—and probably world literature, excluding scripture: Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing, until the Watcher turns his eyes away in [...]
Book Review: Grace (Eventually)
Posted by: revjmk on: January 27, 2010
Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith, Anne Lamott, Riverhead Books, 2007. I love you, Anne Lamott. You open yourself and your life to us, wringing beauty and grace out of the confused and pathetic pile of feelings and mistakes and heartache that is this life. You make me want to be a more careful writer, a [...]
About Me
I am a full-time pastor in the United Church of Christ, mother of a preschooler (B.), married to an aspiring academic and curmudgeon (J.). I live by faith, intuition and intellect. I follow politics, football and the Boston Red Sox. I like to talk about progressive issues, theological concerns, church life, the impact of technology and media, pop culture and books.
- Aleada SIragusa: I am a member of United Church of Christ also. One of our pastors, Rev Victoria Long is also a woman. I am on the net searching for photographs I may
- Samantha R.: Hello, I work with a publication called The Traveler's Friend. We are a coupon book for hotels. I was wondering if I could get your permission to use
- Marilyn Holt: Thank you for your inspiring comments on the disaster in your neighborhood and the uplifting section from your sermon. This entry in your blog is maki
