Today is only the fifth day of Advent, and already I’ve discovered something I think will stay with me for the rest of my life.  It came from the devotional that goes with our Words for the Beginning worship series. (More on that in a minute.)  Are you expecting...

We didn’t “do” Thanksgiving here at church on Sunday. It’s nearly always a question: Do we make that Sunday before the holiday a “thanksgiving” Sunday? or do we observe Christ the King Sunday which, according to the church calendar, almost always coincides with that...

-by Rev. Jena Finch-Manchester What an evening we shared together at our recent Progressive Dinner! With three generous hosts—Jerry and Bonnie Nichols (appetizers), Jon and Mary Jo Banwart (main course), and John and Jane Jacobson (dessert)—our night was filled with...

We’ve been pondering, in recent weeks, through our The Days Are Surely Coming worship series, who among us actually believes in God’s promises to bring about the completion of God’s promised, peaceful future. You may remember I mentioned a conversation with a skeptic...

At a retreat I attended about a year ago, with a bunch of grown-up spiritual people, the agenda included a “bedtime story” on the second night of our time together. It surprised me when my eyes leaked at that idea.  Last month I was at a different gathering of mostly...

I found myself in a funny email exchange with our music director, Patrick Gagnon, this week. I had suggested an opening hymn for this Sunday, and I wanted Patrick’s thoughts on it.  The hymn is “O Day of Peace That Dimly Shines” (UM Hymnal # 729); the words are...