Secret Diary of a Delegate- overview

Not that there's anything really secret about it. I think I just want to pretend I'm Billie Piper. I am a clergy delegate to the 2012 United Methodist General Conference. For my non-Methodist friends (I do have a few!), this is the once-every-four-years gathering of clergy and lay members of the United Methodist Church, elected…

Sermon: No Matter How Small

"No Matter How Small" (April 25, 2010 - Earth Day) When viewed in perspective, our world is incredibly small, like the speck on which the Whos live in Dr. Seuss's stories. And yet, we find that in our smallness, we are precious to God and we must be precious to one another. Our "text" is…

You should watch this movie

I'm not having much luck with the embedding thing, so you'll have to click links, sorry! I'm very excited about this documentary coming out: No Impact Man. It follows Colin Beavan and his family in a one-year experiment to reduce their impact on the environment to zero (or close to it). The No Impact Man…

40 ways for 40 days

We're all carbon addicts. We live lives dependent on goods and services being moved to where we are and dependent on our own ability to travel, buy, and use. I practice a couple of Lenten disciplines, usually centering around taking on something rather than giving something up (most often, an additional spiritual practice like extra…

Um, Pastor, didn’t I see you at the State House?

Tomorrow is Visibility Day at the Vermont State House. It is a day for all those who support equal marriage for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons to be seen and heard, to talk with their representatives, and to give voice to their support of full equality in marriage. I plan to be in attendance.…

It Ain’t Easy…

Being green and churchy at the same time. First, a couple of assumptions for this post. 1. Climate change is real, significant, and really significant. I grew up knowing this-- way beyond aerosol cans or cfl light bulbs, there is substantial and irreparable damage that humankind has inflicted on this planet, especially since the discovery,…

Thinking like an Introvert

Many people who know me are surprised to learn that on a Myers-Briggs test, I am actually an extrovert by only a small margin. While it's true that I love to be around people and have no fear of speaking in front of crowds, and often process all of my thoughts and feelings right out…