Friends, I'm joining clergy in Boston today to pray and support Minneapolis. today is a day to shut down everything. As ICE arrives in Maine, and lots of black SUVs are delivered to Burlington, MA, we wonder if Boston is next. Prayers for all those who have gone to Minneapolis, and for all of us supporting them from home. -Liz Purple Congregations I often use "progressive" and "mainline" interchangeably when talking about congregations, and that is completely inaccurate. For those of us...
about 4 hours ago • 4 min read
Friends, My birthday usually falls on MLK weekend, and this year was on the day. That meant a relaxing day of quilting, chatting with family and friends. I'm rather pleased to be 65, it feels like a significant accomplishment! -Liz Why don't you do Something? I recently read a post on some social media, it was a person from afar looking in on what is happening here in the United States and saying "look what is happening, why aren't you doing something". And honestly, that is how I feel. Why...
3 days ago • 4 min read
Friends, It's all too much. And yet we must keep going. Protest. Write. Call elected officials. Send money. Pray. Quilt, work, make music. Hold your loved ones close. Keep up the good work. -Liz Dr. Martin Luther King Junior I'm struggling right now. In the past year, I often have been able to moderate my news intake, to keep tabs on what is happening without getting pulled into desperation about our times. I've been able to adjust to the uneven landscape a bit at a time. But recently I've...
10 days ago • 3 min read
Friends, I can write about how we need to stay focused but I can't stay focused. I've done too much research on Venezuela. I didn't watch the video of Renee Nicole Good's death. I've been on medicare for 8 days and spent 2 hours getting the information into one of my health care providers computer systems. Along the way I had to promise to pay out-of-pocket if it doesn't go through. At the same time, the skiing is great. The sky is clear. It's tough to find our footing in this time and place....
14 days ago • 2 min read
Friends, I was writing about what is so frightening about socialism when our nation attacked another nation. And what became immediately clear is that I know nothing. Thus today we have an article from someone who knows the people of Venezuela. I am madly trying to catch up on the history, to understand the economics, to figure out things I was not taught in high school (and regretting my decision in college to avoid all things history.) This is what I know--all economic systems can breed...
17 days ago • 3 min read
Friends, I hope you are feeling hopeful as we head into this new year. Reality calls for tempered hope, but hope nonetheless. My husband Ken and I were in bed by 10 last night. Today I have three different gatherings to play strategy games with friends. And some time to shop another friend's stash of batik's. While January 1 is the start, it is a slow start. A holiday start. Retail of course is always working. And plow drivers are clearing up the overnight slow. Technically I'm back to work...
21 days ago • 3 min read
Friends, I have six more days off work! I have appointments with friends to play games. I am cooking New Year's Eve dinner for 35 of my neighbors. And hopefully I'll get a chance to do some quilting. What are you doing to care for yourself? -Liz Introduction to Act! Be Church Now The new year brings us a chance to restart. I'm not much for resolutions, but I do want to think about how I am going to be in this coming year. Each of us have work to do and that work will not change significantly....
24 days ago • 3 min read
Friends, I celebrated Christmas as always with my niblings, siblings, and parents. We cook together on Christmas day, this year opting for a simpler charcuterie dinner. We got snow, played games together. I hope that your Christmas was equally peaceful and comfortable. Liz Slaughter of the Innocents Pieter Bruegel the Elder (~1527-1569) was a Flemish painter, popular in his time, and ever since. His painting The Massacre of the Innocents moves the Matthew Matthew 2:16-18 text to a wintery...
28 days ago • 3 min read
Friends, I am really happy not preaching every week. I love attending worship and simply letting it flow over me; I am responsible only to be present. But apparently I have a Christmas Eve sermon in me. -Liz The Incarnation Theologically, we are at my favorite holiday. I love the incarnation. I love the image of God made human, God incarnated, God made, well, carne: meat. Flesh. One of us. As an institution Pentecost is important; the spirit arrives and we become the body of christ. There is...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read