writer | neighbor | public theologian
Each Epiphany, Christians all over the world remember the journey of the Magi and the gifts they presented to the infant Jesus. Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar are for us a reminder that hospitality, and the gracious provision for our neighbor, is an act of service we own one another. In fact, many of us chalk…
When churches decide to renew or establish a relationship with their neighborhood and neighbors, the tendency is to go immediately to action. We may launch a listening campaign, organize a service project, or host a community event. While these are all good and holy things, I suggest that churches should begin their community connection work…
Again and again in the work of the church, I find that it is the unremarkable things, the simple things, that lay the groundwork for the remarkable things. We underestimate informal conversation, the ministry of presence, and the space for silence and prayer. And we underestimate the impact of sharing a meal with one another…
We live in an incredibly complex world. There’s no getting around that. When we look at some of the most pressing issues we face as a country this becomes abundantly clear. The climate crisis, policing and the prison industrial complex, and the endless patterns of poverty all seem to require more education and training to…