Category Archive

and You wipe every tear from every eye, we will remember. We will remember those who have served and died for the sake of something greater than themselves. We will remember and give thanks for the men and women who knowingly put themselves in harm’s way so that others might be safer. We will remember the families who grieve this day and every day for brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, friends and spouses, who lost their lives while wearing the uniform of our country.… Read the rest “Lord God, until there is war no more…”

“Mothering is something people of all genders can do when they offer love, support, nurturance, and guidance to others. Therefore, simply replacing images of God the Father with God the Mother may be counterproductive. After all, earthly mothers, like earthly fathers, can let us down…. Instead, we see “mothering” as an action rather than a being.  The Mothering God gives birth to us and gives us life. The Mothering God nurtures us and provides shelter when we need it. Luke 13:34 says, “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”… Read the rest “Mothering”

and we especially welcome children and their families. We’ll continue to use prayer beads in worship as we experiment with different ways to pray. Using the beads has encouraged me to be more intentional about prayer.

Yesterday was the last session of the Ignatian spiritual exercises I’ve been part of this year, and looking through my journal I found this quote, “We bring to God a heart shaped by habits.” Some of the habits – or spiritual practices – that I’ve learned are vital to me are gratitude, silence, solitude, conversations, journaling, walking, community worship, and listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.… Read the rest “This Sunday is Intergenerational Worship and Communion”

I wish I was doing it faster… getting rid of books, letting go of furniture, organizing the weeks ahead, knowing what kind of help to ask for, etc. We’re not sure at this point if our house in Fremont will be ready for us to move into in June so “moving” feels kind of nebulous. I’ve been reaching for my prayer beads in moments of overwhelm. I love this quote from A Bead and A Prayer, “…simply hold the beads. Cling to them if you need to.… Read the rest “Move. That’s the word that chose me in 2026.”

and the heart of God’s presence, as the teaching of Jesus during Holy Week asserts, is love. God is present in this week of jubilation and joy, conflict and wisdom, intimacy and sharing, failure and betrayal, violence and injustice, and death. Holy Week is holy because it reminds us that God does not abandon us in our failings, betrayals, and injustices. Rather, God finds ways to speak wisdom, to create intimacy and community, to inspire love. And it is at the end of this week that we proclaim God is most wonderfully and powerfully present.… Read the rest “To call this week holy is to see that God is present”

On March 28, people will gather once again under the banner of No Kings, protesting President Trump and his administration’s tactics of fear, intimidation, and violence. Palm Sunday Is a Political Story! Palm Sunday reminds us that faith has always spilled into ordinary, public spaces and invites us to consider the kind of leadership we celebrate and the kind of world we long to create. Illustrated Ministry has created free, downloadable protest posters inspired by the story of Palm Sunday. 

Meet at Napa Methodist Church at 12pm to walk together or at Oxbow Commons at 1pm to march with the community.

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Lord,
things change again.
When will I be able to rest
in the comfort of knowing what comes next?

You, who transcend all time,
who created the stars and set them in place,
You, who are ageless yet known in every age,
grant me the grace to accept
the changes that are happening.

Empty my heart of anxiety,
and fill it instead with wonder and awe.
Release me from the chains of complacency,
and bind me to Your ever-moving Spirit.… Read the rest “A Prayer for Trust in Times of Change”