We often have a “cast of characters” living inside our heads that love to carry on endless conversations–each from their own perspective. The chatter of our minds can sometimes keep us from a deeper listening and it is often difficult to understand what is a mystical connection to God. Getting our True Self into the […]

This week in worship we hear the story of an unnamed woman and a man named Jairus. Both are desperate. Jairus has wealth, and power, and access. The unnamed woman has none of those things. Both come to Jesus in prayer seeking healing. The woman for herself, while the man, Jairus, for his daughter. As […]

As part of The Big Deal Weekend, our weekend built around anti-racist education focused on the intersection of faith and identity, Bishop David Alan Bard will preach his sermon, Willingly Haunted, for our Sunday worship. Bishop Bard is the presiding bishop of the Michigan Conference of The United Methodist Church. Bishop Bard also shepherds the […]

Come and listen to the sacred text that connects our own aliveness with the breath of God. Together let us “pray without ceasing” as we pay attention to our breathing and believe that breathing is prayer. God blew breath into us at creation, and we continue to breathe all of creation in and out of […]

Sometimes we just need to get away in order to hear from that “still small voice” within. This quiet voice is an attribute of the Holy Living God, as Elijah found out when he retreated to a cave where he expected to experience God in big wind and earthquake and fire. What is your “cave?” […]

As we prepare for our 40-day journey of Lent, we “turn around” (the root meaning of the word “repent”) from the distractions of daily noise and focus our attention on listening in a deeper way. Writer Parker Palmer suggests we must listen “to what our life is telling us”–in other words, to listen to the […]

On this Sunday we climb the mountain with the disciples, Peter, James and John, to see the glory of Christ revealed and the truth affirmed that Jesus is the Son of God. Transfiguration Sunday plays an important and pivotal role in our journey of discipleship just as it did for the disciples then. On this […]

Be still before God. Wait patiently. Are these passive words? Or reserved actions? The Hebrew of God’s command to “be still” is similar to stop what you are doing and know me. Be still, so that you may be emptied and then filled with God. Stop praying and be prayer, allow God to pray through […]

This week in worship, we continue to find comfort in the wisdom and hope of the Psalms, looking to Psalm 1. Central to this ancient poem is the image of a healthy fruit-bearing tree, planted by the water; an image likened to those whose lives are grounded not in the messaging of popular consumer culture, […]