Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem by Maya Angelou

A parishioner shared this with me this morning. What a beautiful piece of art. I hope it brings you some comfort and courage on this Sunday afternoon.

Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem

By Dr. Maya Angelou

Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes

And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses.

Flood waters await us in our avenues.

Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche

Over unprotected villages.

The sky slips low and grey and threatening.

We question ourselves.

What have we done to so affront nature?

We worry God.

Are you there? Are you there really?

Does the covenant you made with us still hold?

Speaking and Hearing and Miscommunication

I've been thinking a lot lately about the way we communicate. If we are on the writing/speaking end of things, to what extent are we responsible for the way things are heard or perceived? As a pastor, I have a high responsibility for the way people hear what I say. I do not want to cavalierly throw things out there and then complain when they are not understood in the way I meant them. Which is why I got off Facebook. My posts that were meant as food for thought were coming across in an entirely different way than I meant them. I am responsible for this, but the Facebook platform certainly does not help. Yes, we are welcome to scroll past things we do not agree with or comment with an opposing view, but I've never seen a conversation or shared meme that lead to a change of heart. If anything, both "sides" dig their heels in deeper and we come away more divided than when we began.

Communication is a two way street. We have all had things we've said misunderstood or misinterpreted. And we've all been yelled at only to be told by the person yelling that they were not yelling. *insert eye roll here* When a miscommunication happens, we like to place blame on the other person, no matter what seat we are in - speaker or hearer.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel into my grief

I have a heavy heart. It has been a full week of processing, celebrating communion and Christ among us, and grieving the loss of Facebook from my life. I keep thinking of things I'd like to post or share, including a request for prayers for the outcome of the procedure I had Tuesday morning (a scope down my throat to check out my gut!).

There has been so much grieving in the last few weeks as a nation. Grieving the chasm between Americans who find themselves on different sides of the political line. It should not matter as we come together in church. Church is the place where our identity is first and foremost "child of God." The rest falls away as we sit side by side in the pews, share the peace, and take wafer and wine together at the table.

It's the End of Facebook as I Know It and We'll Be Fine

Raise your hand if you are sick of the hearing about the election and president elect! *everyone raises hand*

It has been two solid weeks of grief for me. There are bright spots to be sure. Handing out communion and telling person after person (both in their homes and at church) that THIS is the body of Christ broken for them - well there is something very healing in that. An awareness that God is here with us in this muck and mire.

In my grief, I composed a sermon that spoke to my fears for those who are marginalized. I spoke about my love for my little Godson who is biracial and family members who are biracial or black. I spoke from the heart. For some, it was exactly what they needed to hear. People pointed to their safety pins on their shirts during the peace or gave me big hugs as they left the sanctuary after worship. On Monday, I waited in my office for the phone calls. Nothing. Tuesday? Still nothing. No emails. I relaxed a little. Perhaps it was received in the intention it was given. I was getting only good feedback! Even feedback from the retired pastor in my congregation who said he thought it was an excellent sermon and was heartfelt.

Until today, when I learned that some people heard only hate and blame in that sermon. They felt as if I discredited all the praying and soul searching they did before they voted as well as all the ways they daily promote love and tolerance and acceptance and had for years.

This was not my intention. But I cannot blame them for hearing the sermon this way. While I'm always very careful what I say in my sermons and in conversation with people, I've felt freer to share things on Facebook, trusting that people knew it was food for thought - things calling all people to condemn hatred, posts celebrating steps President Elect Trump has made for good, and so on. However, for some, this was not only unhelpful, it was their pastor waving a big liberal flag and whacking them on the head with it. NOT GOOD.

I've been asked to withhold my political views from FB for the time being. I've been asked before. Twice. So their worries were justified when I amped up my FB posts after the election. The posting was done out of fear for a country that would follow the path of Germany in allowing the atrocities of Nazism. The posting was done in response to a call from marginalized friends and strangers to speak out against the hate. The actual result? Likes from friends who agreed. Alienation and hurt from those who did not.

So I'm done with FB. I grieve this loss but have tried before to post only the bright, furry things of my world. It feels inauthentic and plastic and is not the kind of presence I want to have on FB. I'm choosing to pull back from social media and focus on my congregation where I have been called. Focus on conveying a message of inclusivity, collective action, and sharing God's great, big, wide, huge, gigantic love for all of us - one that people can actually hear no matter where on the political spectrum they sit, especially if it differs from their pastor.

Moving Sucks - Ministry Rocks

I'm moving to Cheyenne in a week. The apartment is a wreak, things half packed and pictures down off the walls. My husband and I are using up our gift cards to local places, enjoying our remaining time with friends over good eats and delicious coffee, and... freaking out.

Seriously. We don't want to leave Madison! I love so many people here! I know these roads. I know the towns surrounding Madison (and how to pronounce them). We have our favorite coffee roaster and our doctors and vets and our therapists and hair stylists. I don't want to find all those things again. I do not.

More Than A Meal

Long time, no post. Sorry about that! How about a sermon for now?


Gospel: John 6:56-69
Jesus said, 56 “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” 59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.   60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” 61 But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65 And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”   66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” 


We are now at the fifth and final week of our Summer Sermon Series on “More Than a Meal” and you will notice that once again we hear instructions from Jesus on communion. Jesus says that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood will abide in him and he will abide them. Quite a promise, but one that our entire community is based in. Think about how we share a meal. The very act of sharing communion means that we are in community together. We are breaking bread and inviting people to dine with us.

Well, many of you know that I got married on August 1st, about three weeks ago. It was pretty amazing and I keep remembering different pieces of the day. One that really stands out is having communion. We had an amazing church service with wonderful music, with a laying on of hands, a blessing from Pastor Scot, and a sending song that had to be “A Mighty Fortress is our God.” We had at least a dozen Lutheran pastors present, after all.

There is Nothing Jesus Can't Heal

Pastor Alison Williams - June 27/28, 2015 - Bethel Lutheran Church

Mark 5:21–43
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live." So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him.