Church Calendar (Page 3)

Again & Again: A Lenten Refrain

In Lent, we’re reminded that, again and again, suffering and brokenness find us. We doubt again, we lament again, we mess up again. Again and again, the story of Jesus on the cross repeats—every time lives are taken unjustly, every time the powerful choose corruption and violence, every time individuals forget how to love. With exacerbation we exclaim, “Again?! How long, O God?” And yet, in the midst of the motion blur chaos of our lives, God offers a sacred…

Those Who Dream – Advent

Psalm 126 begins “When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.” This is an expression of great joy and hope. In it we can place ourselves, at the intersection of the harsh realities of this world and the joyous future God is bringing about. As Kingdom people, we live in that tension, and Advent is all about that tension. Next Sunday, we enter into the powerful season of Advent. Advent is a season of…

Christ the King Sunday 2020

One of the most important ways we make meaning of our lives is in how we mark time. Mainstream American culture revolves around a Consumer Calendar that centers around sales and shopping. But the Christian Calendar reorients our lives away from the Consumer Calendar and into Sacred Time. This Sunday is the start of a journey through the life of Jesus and the mission of the church. As we mark time with the story of Jesus, we are being formed…

Native American Heritage Month

This month we are commemorating Native American or Indigenous Heritage Month. Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams, and energy to making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hope of a better life, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Truth and acknowledgment are critical…

Breaking the Chains: A Lenten Journey

The Book of Common Prayer introduces Lent this way: Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated…