October 7-13, 2020
Just a quick update on two things that I have been working on. I have been trying to figure out how to be a Minister of Outreach during this time. How do I hang out and listen to people, when everyone is very hesitant to interact? How do you dream together about what to create […]
Read postTHIS WEEK @ FMC
September 30-October 6, 2020 Reading through the Gospels in the next 40 days. This was one of my suggestions this past Sunday morning for keeping ‘Jesus at the center of our faith’ during these days leading up to and just past the election. To encourage and support you in this reading, I’m offering two suggestions: […]
Read postSeptember 23-29, 2020
September 23-29, 2020 There is a tradition in Christianity of choosing short ‘prayers of the heart’ to pray through the day. It was an attempt to take seriously Paul’s admonition to ‘pray unceasingly.’ I’ve been reading about these prayers of the heart recently in Gerald May’s book The Awakened Heart. Early on, these prayers […]
Read postSeptember 16-22, 2020
Reflection from Pastor Tonya on the Western District Conference Assembly in July 2020: For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. Mt. 18:20 This morning in my praying, as I tried to honestly hold before God both the weight and gratitude I am feeling, these words of astounding […]
Read postSeptember 9-15, 2020
Yesterday was Labor Day, a day our country has set aside to honor the accomplishments and achievements of workers of all kinds. The day recognizes how important each worker is, and offers a day set apart for celebration, fun, and respite. I love how the prayer below gives thanks for all kinds of ‘workers’ and […]
Read postAugust 26-September 1, 2020
Reflection on the 2020 Western District Conference Annual Assembly held virtually on August 1-2, contributed by Delon Martens, who served as a delegate for FMC. When Pastor Tonya gave us “word” stars at the beginning of 2020, she invited us to carry that word with us through the upcoming year being open to how that […]
Read postAugust 12-18, 2020
We need to lament, mourn, wail, and grieve. During the past few years, as I have studied trauma, I realized that our culture tends not to lament and grieve. I think the lack of lament creates more trauma because “our bodies keep the score”–our bodies remember what has happened to us. If we do not […]
Read postJuly 29 – August 4, 2020
“We are the fish in the fish bowl called God.” — Father Albert Haase (Catching Fire, Becoming Flame Video Series. Paraclete Press) A small group has been gathering on Tuesday mornings to watch and discuss Franciscan Fr. Albert Haase’s teaching on prayer and the spiritual life. His session unpacking the spiritual practice of the Prayer […]
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