US Catholic Bishops Speak Out | Song: Maybe Stars Today's post is from the Southern New England Conference UCC Starting with Scripture Blog. I wrote it several weeks ago and had forgotten all about it! I'm safely home and recovered from travels, spending a lot of time getting caught up on things set aside. And this weekend I'll be quilting with a seminary friend. Take time to catch up. Take time to be with those you love, and to do what you love doing. -Liz Imagining the Peaceable Kingdom I...
19 minutes ago • 3 min read
We Shall Not Be Moved | Hire Pastor Liz as a Consultant | Friends, I just spent an amazing weekend at the Iowa Episcopal Diocesan Convention! What a joy. I got to talk about how small churches can be engaged in the local community. About Asset Based Community Development and Community Organizing. And then about how we are called to love enemies as the Keynote address. The whole weekend explored the ways we are "Together in Christ". It is lucky it was such a delight because I got caught in the...
3 days ago • 4 min read
No Kings protest's Idolatry | Broken Down In America Friends, My next book has been sent for printing! When Did We See You? A Reflection on Poverty & Wealth will be available January 1 and is good for a private or congregational lenten study. It asks us to really consider what we have, and whether our stuff keeps us closer to God or further from God. I hope you'll considering ordering a copy! -Liz Where do politics belong in church? The question is not only which political discussions can we...
7 days ago • 3 min read
Democracy is a faith issue | Redistricting is a faith issue Friends, Dad is in good shape and mom and I made good progress on a puzzle and spent Saturday at a craft show. Art restores my soul. Interesting that out of one hundred vendors, about five were authors peddling their books. I bought three! The rules change over time. For this show the artist themself must staff the booth, but the art is not juried. And writing is considered an art. Both of those seem like good changes to the rules of...
10 days ago • 5 min read
Song: Like Jesus Would | Order My Next Book! Friends, I'm in Vermont with my mom and dad as dad recovers from surgery. I love even this late fall, where the leaves are falling all around. And I love hanging out with my family. It means I'm missing Halloween at home, where some 200 people will knock on each of our doors. Ken will take care of that, but I'm sad to miss it. But what I get is spending a fair amount of time discussing politics, discussing church, and eating good food with my...
14 days ago • 3 min read
Workshops with Liz | Flamy Grant Album Church Friends, So far, Tuesday and Friday wins for when I should be sending out the newsletter. You still can reply and tell me some other input. I've been traveling--Denver, Philadelphia, Vermont, and Des Moines is coming up. I got to do some consulting, visit some family, see Church in action. It means I've been away from my own church. I'm glad to be home for a couple weeks. -Liz The Radical Nature of Halloween I remember one halloween when I...
17 days ago • 3 min read
3.5% Rule | Song: Mother's Prayer | Friends, I love Joel 2:28. I really believe in this idea that God's spirit pours out on all people. I imagine a crowd of people all filled and speaking. Perhaps this is where people who speak in tongues get their motivation. The lectionary pairs this with Luke 18:9-14, thus implying that the spirit might be on everyone, but we are to express that "full of the spirit" feeling in private. But public prayer has a place when it is not haughty and performative....
23 days ago • 5 min read
White Supremacy Culture | Bigger, Faster, and More | Good Friends, Don't miss the October 18 No Kings protests! Consider dressing up as a frog (like the plagues in Egypt) if you can possibly find a costume. Remember that non-violence is the key to getting more people involved in the movement. Also, driving by and honking is a great alternative if you can't stand out for hours. -Liz More White Dominant Culture We talked on Monday about White Dominant Culture*. I'd like for us to spend more...
29 days ago • 3 min read
White Dominant Culture | Something Else | Good friends, Corrections are done on my book, I'm exercising five days a week, fall is finally here in New England. Most importantly, it is raining. Hopefully this Northeaster will bring a great deal of rain because we need the water. I head off to Denver to see family, but also to teach Spiritual Neighboring. It's a course on spiritual care for people without homes, in prison, people who can't get out of their homes. I'm excited to engage with...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read