Reflections

I drove to work on December 31 and I made all the lights. The streets in Bellevue were almost empty, such was the room on the road, the quiet of visitors in the office—although let it be known, still too hard to find a place to get lunch. When instead we turned to January 2nd,... Read more →

We think we know the story: Angels. Shepherds. Kings. Sheep. So familiar with the chain of events, we aren’t flabbergasted by it all.  And yet what strikes me every Advent is how these familiar characters were going about their everyday lives when…. When the... Read more →

“It’s a part of life’s rich pageantry.” This is a phrase frequently used by a former boss of mine, which attempts to describe a sequencing of events that feel both magical and challenging.  We encounter the challenges in this season in particular as we add shopping for gifts to... Read more →

Advent starts this week, and this year we are looking at Silence and Song, finding the place of stillness where we can hear songs of hope. I have been thinking of this week as we prepare for a busy weekend at our church, which holds both grief and hope near at hand. Saturday, we... Read more →

November is often named as Gratitude month since Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 3rd Thursday of the month.  Giving thanks can take many forms in our lives.  We display it by adding leaves to our dining tables, making room for extended family and those new to our communities. ... Read more →

Last Saturday evening, a few families arrived to prepare and serve dinner for our November guests through Congregations for the Homeless.  As the parents were busy chopping and sautéing things (sharp knives and young children aren’t really a good idea) the gaggle of children... Read more →

  I read an article about study a few years ago, that said that kids will work longer at a difficult task if they are dressed up as batman. Kids were set up with a task that was intentionally boring and arduous. These 4-6 year olds were also told that whenever they wanted... Read more →

Last year, the Outreach Commission had an idea: what would it be like to host a job fair for folks who might not have access to the job market, including folks who were experiencing homelessness? There were a lot of unknowns to try something new and outside our expertise.  ... Read more →

As we approach Labor Day, we will have the opportunity to “learn a new balance.”  Our children will return to school, darkness is already coming sooner in the evenings, temperatures will drop as Fall approaches and our church will begin a new season.  As we find our ways through... Read more →