What I’d have said

I was invited to speak at the dinner tonight at my church for the Central Vermont Community Land Trust. Unfortunately, I have had a minor medical problem (some follow-up stuff from my miscarriage that necessitated a trip to the hospital, but I'm out and home and fine now) and have been confined to my house…

Sermon- Standing on the Promise: Salvation

"Standing on the Promise: Salvation" (March 22, 2009) We have curiously taken a symbol of death and oppression and hopelessness and turned it into a symbol of healing and hope and life. This is the ultimate promise of God: healing both in terms of illness and alienation, and restoration through grace. (Numbers 21:4-9 and John…

Two weeks out

It's a sunny and almost warm spring day in Central Vermont. I even had a robin on my porch this morning. It's also two weeks since I lost the baby, and I haven't managed to go a whole day without tears yet, but that's not necessarily a bad thing for me. Bit by bit. The…

On Equal Marriage

Today, one week after the press conference for clergy in support of equal marriage, the Vermont Senate will conclude its hearings on full marriage rights for gay and lesbian persons in Vermont. As many of you may know or have seen, I have made myself a pretty vocal and visible supporter of equal marriage. I…

Pamper me

I'm not a stuff person, and I don't go asking for gifts a lot. But I feel like this might be a good occasion. I'd like you to give me something. Nothing huge, and preferably something that can be sent by email or explained via phone call. A poem. A picture. A prayer (I'm specifically…

Sermon- Standing on the Promise: Vision

"Standing on the Promise: Vision" (March 15, 2009) Like a flower beside a fence, we can view scripture as something to hold us back, something that divides us from 'outsiders,' or something that supports us and gives us direction as we grow. (Exodus 20:1-17)

Mourning Miscarriage, or not

"Me too." After I'm sorry, those are the two most prevalent words I've heard the past few days. The number of women and their partners who have experienced miscarriage is staggering, although it shouldn't be surprising from the statistics. An estimated one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage (although many are within the first month,…

The Ups and Downs

Heck of a week, folks. Last Friday, I was unanimously approved by the Board of Ordained Ministry for ordination this year. They had some great feedback, and some constructive feedback (which is also great, just in a different way), about which I had planned to reflect and stuff. Then I did manage to get myself…

My husband

Because he sometimes thinks that I don't say it enough, and really, can you ever? My husband overheard me tonight, describing him to a friend on the phone as my pillar of strength. When I hung up, he looked at me a bit incredulously. "Really? You think I'm a pillar of strength?" he asked, tears…

Sermon- Standing on the Promise: Legacy

"Standing on the Promise: Legacy" (March 8, 2009) God's promise to Abraham and Sarah is that their faith and family will continue, that they will have a legacy. We too are promised that our faith bears fruit in legacy. (Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16)