A pastoral reflection on life right now for us all.
I think we are all quite exhausted from the trauma of these last 14+ months. We all have been doing the best we can in really difficult and changing landscapes. And now our reserves are also depleted. Some of the research I am reading and talking about is that we collectively have a lot of unprocessed trauma bc we were all just trying to get our kids to school, or keep our job going, and keep our family healthy.

Planting my seedlings in my garden this weekend makes my soul very happy and calm.

I started a compost this year which reminds me, nothing in our life is wasted. Those pieces of rubble are often the beginnings of good soil. It makes me think about growing up in the church. Some of the most difficult & bad theologies people taught me as a kid (that I would never wish upon anyone), are now my entry point for reclamation, authority, and vibrancy.

Where our hurts are, they are the doors to soul work.

I've been thinking a lot about how some who refuse to wear masks (and instead use guns, which makes no sense to me) have been saying it is because of their freedom to do so.

From a Christian perspective, that is the opposite of freedom. Galatians 5:13 says "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love."

Freedom is not about personal rights (which is why I have a hard time with rights language as a pastor).

I am a denominational pilgrim.

The Roman Catholics baptized me, the Lutherans confirmed me, the evangelicals got me through adolescence, the Reformed folks ordained me and then when I came out & I made the agonizing & freeing choice to change my ordination to the UCC. I love the UCC. I am proud to be an ordained Minister in the UCC. And we are far from perfect. All denominations are becoming. As are individuals, we are all becoming. We land in a place to find the home we need knowing that we are there to help it become, and they to help us.

Lament: A spiritual tool to help us feel angry, be disappointed, and find radical hope. There are 150 Psalms recorded in the Bible. Out of those, just under 50% of them have lament themes in them. That’s a lot of complaining and anger. What is a lament theme?

A Zoroastrian man once approached me on the Staten Island Ferry. He asked what religion I am. Christian. He replied, “Ah, my sister! I am your brother a Zoroastrian. It was my people who first made the pilgrimage to Jesus. We continue to believe the star is guiding us.” At the conception of the Christian story is a vulnerable God in the baby Jesus who brings different religions together in holy wonder.