by Amy Norton-Benfield, October 09, 2024
Our Bible story this week begins while the Israelites are still living the frontier life as described in the Book of Judges. As our worship curriculum explains, “There is no unified political framework, and the people are constantly threatened by neighboring people, especially the Philistines. In this uneasy life situation, having children who will carry on the family name is the way in which women’s worth was measured. The key to understanding Hannah’s situation is that—even though she is older and Elkanah loves her—without children, society sees her as having no value… Hannah prays to God for a son and… Read More
by Amy Norton-Benfield, October 03, 2024
Beloveds, Last year, the Mental Health team decided that we would coordinate three services each year that are devoted in some way to the mental health ministry of this community. In the cold, dark months of winter we’d have a service focused on providing comfort and solace, most recently we’ve attempted that through our Longest Night service. In the spring as the world awakens, and the NAMI walk approaches, we would hold a service dedicated to raising awareness about mental health challenges and energizing our advocacy. Our fall service, we decided, would be focused on grounding and re-centering, because it’s… Read More
by Amy Norton-Benfield, September 25, 2024
This autumn, we drop into various stories of the Bible sequentially, starting at the beginning — following along with our young people in Church School. Through October 20th, we look at the promises God makes with humanity and how those promises get broken. We look at our relationship with God and how we honor and keep it. This Sunday, we graduate from the book of Genesis and dive into Exodus, or the epic tale of the Israelites’ escape from Egypt and their journey to the land that God had promised to them as descendants of Abraham. Generations upon generations after… Read More
by Anna Jeide-Detweiler, September 19, 2024
This autumn, we drop into various stories of the Bible sequentially, starting at the beginning — following along with our young people in Church School. We look at the promises God makes with humanity and how those promises get broken. We look at our relationship with God and how we honor and keep it. As we make our way through the book of Genesis, this week we dive into the story of Joseph. Maybe some of you —like me — are familiar with the story of Joseph through the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. You might recall that… Read More
by Kent M French, September 12, 2024
This autumn, we drop into various stories of the Bible sequentially, starting at the beginning — following along with our young people in Church School. We look at the promises God makes with humanity and how those promises get broken. We look at our relationship with God and how we honor and keep it. One night many, many years ago, an old guy named Abraham was staring out into the night sky talking with God. He was getting on in years, childless, uncertain about his future, but God assured him: Look up at the sky and count the stars if… Read More
by Kent French, September 05, 2024
This autumn we drop into various stories of the Bible sequentially, starting at the beginning — following along with our young people in Church School. We look at the promises God makes with humanity and how those promises get broken. We look at our relationship with God and how we honor and keep it. This Sunday is our Welcome Back Sunday, when we begin our program year and re-convene after our summertime travel and adventures. It’s a fun, festive day, complete with an after-worship picnic on the lawn. New Beginnings. Many of us are probably well familiar with the second… Read More
by Kent French, August 29, 2024
This summer, we delve into the theme of “Sacred Places, Sacred Moments” hearing from our members about locations, physical spaces, situations, or moments in time in which they feel connected to or made room for the Divine. Summer worship is at 10am in Willett Hall downstairs. NOTE: This Sunday’s homily will not be broadcast on YouTube. Who is God to you? Someone human-like who loves you unconditionally? A severe judge? A taskmaster? Or something more abstract? A rushing wind? A misty cloud? Or maybe a mother hen? A soaring eagle? Is God something or someone as close as your nearest breath or as distant… Read More
by Amy Norton, August 22, 2024
This summer, we delve into the theme of “Sacred Places, Sacred Moments” hearing from our members about locations, physical spaces, situations, or moments in time in which they feel connected to or made room for the Divine. Summer worship is at 10am in Willett Hall downstairs. A long time ago in a land far, far away, Abraham (our foreparent in faith) lived into a new way of relating to God that would have ripples down the millennia: the movable altar. (Ok, there were many things that Abraham did that shaped Judaism as well as what would become Christianity and Islam, but I’m focusing on just… Read More
by Amy Norton, August 15, 2024
This summer, we delve into the theme of “Sacred Places, Sacred Moments” hearing from our members about locations, physical spaces, situations, or moments in time in which they feel connected to or made room for the Divine. Summer worship is at 10am in Willett Hall downstairs. I’ve always loved Psalm 104- it’s an exultant ode to creation, to each part of our beautiful ecosystem. I especially love verse 26, which talks about God creating the ocean, “and [the sea monster] Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.” I find special meaning in the idea that this giant sea monster that strikes fear in the hearts… Read More
by Amy Norton-Benfield, August 08, 2024
This summer, we delve into the theme of “Sacred Places, Sacred Moments” hearing from our members about locations, physical spaces, situations, or moments in time in which they feel connected to or made room for the Divine. Summer worship is at 10am in Willett Hall downstairs. One of my favorite books as a child was Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble. I loved how after a harsh storm, the bounty of the beloved family apple tree was transformed (spoiler alert) into a bounty of a different type of blessings: an indoor swinging vine and a special drawing desk. Our homilist this week, Deb H.,… Read More
