Funny Things
First of all, last night we had a combined board/pastoral staff meeting at my house for the three congregations that make up the Seattle Vineyard. We have a great board, and I love them. But I hate board meetings because they are always about the budget. I took a test once, once of those “what is your money personality test” and I am a “money monk.’ This means that even though I have money, I don’t want to touch it or think about it or manage it or anything because I don’t want it to corrupt me. (What’s especially hilarious about this, is that at one point I was the treasurer of the board. Seriously. I can’t even … {read more…}

It’s 6am and the house is asleep. Last night we marked Holy Saturday with the Stations of the Christ, and my heart was so content. This morning, it is full of gratitude and despite the fact that I am sleep deprived, I find myself compelled to come downstairs and write thank you notes. I can’t believe I live in this beautiful community with so many generous people!

It’s Easter morning and it’s almost time for the girls to wake up, so this will be brief. But I wanted express gratitude today … for Christ’s body in the now as well as in the distant past. It is an amazing thing.

Jen Lemen has been on a writing roll lately and this piece on naming rang so true to me. I loved how she linked it to Jesus’ last days and his humanity.

“some of what’s wrong with the world is all the names. not the ones that stretch you–the ones that keep you small, boxed up. the ones that seem to fit, kind of, but that never let you relax, never let you breathe. trickier still is when you start to complain about being boxed in and no one recognizes the source of your discontent. this is a problem. this can make you crazy, wondering what your problem is, being all fussy and uptight when everyone else thinks you … {read more…}

I love the stuff of ritual, and liturgy, and holy spaces. I love the high holy seasons. If I had any time after my family and ThPM, I would try to make a living consulting with churches and teaching them how to listen to their artists. I would try to show them how to let someone other than the worship team direct worship once in a while. I would show them how to reclaim our historical traditions and breathe new life into them. I would help them discover what the Jews mean when they say that every one of them has actually lived the experience of the Pass-over. I would release the worship of … {read more…}

Emily Button (she of the great photographs) has posted great new pics from Fiona Morrion’s (she of the gorgeous artwork) birthday party. Yummy hooka smoking mehindi wearing fun…

The thing I like about blogging (one of the things) is that it can form a teaching/learning community in which we can coach and inform each other as we unfold this story we find ourselves in and try to build a theology that can look people in the eye. I find that extremely helpful. I read a lot of blogs, only a few of which are on my blogroll (because I’ve forgotten how to update it). Last night, ’round midnight (Paul was at a board meeting) I read this one several times where my friend jen and a new aquintance Will Sansbury struck up a grace filled conversation about God healing things that hurt. If you’re … {read more…}

A Prologue: This isn’t a statement about homosexuality and whether or not it is a sin. This isn’t a statement about gay marriage and what should be done about it’s legislation. This is a story. It is a story about a boy. A boy I loved and how I lost him, and how sad that makes me feel.

When I was in college at SPU I had this friend, Robert. In the course of four years he went from being a the vice president of the Young Republican club to the most liberal writer on the school paper – reknown for tequila, cigars, and leftist tendencies. He was my most soul-attached guy friend and we were deeply rooted in some way … {read more…}