Giving Up _______ for Lent
Last week our oldest daughter asked me what I am giving up for Lent. This is something I often do, but I completely forgot about it this year. So, on the spot, I said I’m giving up despair. After thinking about it a bit more, I’m sticking to it. Part…
Ash Wednesday, Thrown Alongside
Our Lent theme for this year is Thrown Alongside, which is a sort of literal translation of the word “parable.” In many ways, parables are stories, metaphors, images, and ideas that are placed (or thrown) alongside the stories, metaphors, and images of our own life. They are an invitation to…
Finding the Land
During Sunday’s children’s time I shared about the LandBack campaign of NAICCO (Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio). They are one of two organizations to which we release our Reparative Debt Payments, part of our annual congregational budget. The other organization is called Land of the Freed. They are led by Paisha…
Anabaptist History, Anabaptist Future
History was never my best subject in school, but I have been really enjoying teaching a series on Anabaptist History to the High School Sunday School class. What has really captured my imagination as I prepare and lead lessons on these stories is something that Joel alluded to in the…
Confession of Faith
This past Saturday our family attended Mennonite Arts Weekend in Cincinnati, a biennial event we haven’t missed since 2008. It’s always a beautiful mix of art, inspiration, food, and connection. Mark your calendars for February 5-7, 2027. One of my favorite presenters was the poet Julia Baker. She talked about poetry as a…