Saying Grace Growing up in a Catholic family, my parents did what they could to instill a sense of reverence and a prayer life in us. We had a bedtime prayer routine, and we said grace at any meal we sat down together for at home. When my brother and I were youngest, the grace … Continue reading The Mind of the Minister
I recently rewatched the Star Wars sequel trilogy (episodes VII-IX). They’re far from perfect, I’ll admit (what isn’t?), but they’re still fun. My favorite of these (and this might be controversial) is The Last Jedi. Many fans were vocal about their hatred of it, because it turned so many conventions of the Star Wars story … Continue reading Saving What We Love
The conventional wisdom in Unitarian Universalism is that without a creed to define us, we’re called to be a covenantal faith. That is, we are defined by the promises we make to one another about how we will just be together as a community. When I arrived at UU Berks, it was clear that the … Continue reading HOW SHALL WE WALK TOGETHER?
I write this week having just returned from a much needed vacation (my first since 2023!) and am now catching up on what I’ve missed. I feel rested and renewed and ready to begin year number two with you all. And yet, it fells odd to say that I feel refreshed after the last month, … Continue reading “Should I Be Hopeful..?
When Should I Call You? Sometimes, our lives take a such a turn that we need to know there’s someone who’s there for us, no matter what. Sometimes, it’s hard to know when to reach out. Sometimes, you might not be sure who to reach out to. A minister comes into a church community, in … Continue reading The Mind of the Minister
Joy in the Ordinary As the weather warms up, the signs of spring are all around. Settling into our new home, Jess and I have fallen upon the new joy of discovering what the previous owners had planted around the house. Every day, new patches of hyacinth and daffodils emerge from the mulch around the … Continue reading The Mind of the Minister
Soul Matters has given us the theme of “The Practice of Trust” for the month of March. Friends, I have to be honest, my first thought opening up the packet and planning out worship for this month was, “Are they kidding right now?! Have they not seen [gesturing all about myself] everything happening?” And then … Continue reading When Trust is Hard, Lean Into Community
I’ve recently started a rewatch of Apple TV’s Ted Lasso (this and The Good Place are my emotional support binge-watches). For those unfamiliar with the show, it’s a fish out of water comedy about an American college football coach hired to lead a struggling English Premiere League football (soccer) team. But it’s not a show … Continue reading Coach Lasso and the Beloved Community
Happy New Year! Our Soul Matters theme for January is “Living Love Through the Practice of Story.” Now, I’m a storyteller at heart, so in some regards this a constant running theme for me. I tend to view a lot of life through the lens of story. Story has great power in the ongoing process … Continue reading A Story About Us
As I write this, Jess and I are twelve days out from bringing our AirBnB adventures in Berks County to a close. On December 2nd, we’ll take possession of our new home, and then get right to work on the most important first step of settling — figuring out where the Christmas tree goes. It’s … Continue reading An Antidote to Grinchiness
