A Prayer for November 9

At our Bible Study last week, I was challenged to write a prayer for after the election. This is what I came up with. What would you pray? Prayer for November 9 Hope of every tomorrow, Healer of shattered dreams and fragmented peoples, boundless Lover of all the unknowns, the undecideds, the too-close-for-comfort and too-close-to-call,…

Sermon: Blessed are the Cheese-Makers?

"Blessed are the Cheese-Makers?" (February 2, 2014) When we read the list of blessings in the Gospels ("beatitudes," as they are often called), we can read them both as reminders of whom God loves, and as soothing balm for the parts of ourselves most in need of blessing. What blessings do you need to hear?…

Every year on this date, I thank God for Kathe Darr

It was the second full day of classes in the fall 2001 semester at Boston University School of Theology. The basement lecture hall was filled with first year graduate students, cut off from the sunlight and the outside world for the duration of the 9 am church history class. These were the days before smartphones…

But Have Not Love

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I…

Diary of a Delegate: Dude, where’s my church?

Sisters and brothers, I don't even know what day it is. I think about 3 days of legislation have passed since last I posted. They weren't good days for me and the people I care about. It seems that progressives make up about 40% of the voting body on just about anything. Other people have…

Diary of a Delegate: TwitterSermon

I had a very strange experience last night. I preached a sermon on Twitter. It had been a very hard day (more on that another time) and I had left the voting area (called the bar-- not a social establishment for beverage!), and sat for a time with some friends, members of the GLBTQ and…

Diary of a Delegate: Day Three – Tears

Yes, I know. Technically, I could subtitle any day at General Conference, or anywhere else for that matter, with that word. I'm a crier. It's me. But Thursday there were more tears than usual. I'll give a shout out to Adam Hamilton, who after a lot of critique of the proposal he helped present, agreed…

Seeking Easter Inspiration

Here is my deep confession: It is hard for me to get inspired to lead worship on Easter. I face this every year. In part, I think the expectations I place on myself are too high-- I want to do something "cool" or "relevant" to get the attention of the visitors; I want to lift…

Diary of a Delegate: There’s prayer in my politics!

As part of our preparation for General and Jurisdictional Conferences, the New England group of delegates and reserve delegates have been meeting together regularly and conversing over email. I think it's impossible-- or at least I hope it is-- for a group of thirty United Methodist lay and clergy people to meet regularly and not…

Light a candle for healing

Today, World AIDS Day, I remember a friend, Steve, who lost his life to AIDS, and many more who I won't name, but carry in my heart. We seem to hear less and less about AIDS each year, and I don't know if that's because we are doing a better job preventing and treating HIV…