Community
Feed your spirit with these stories and reflections about living in relationship.
A God who lives and dies
by Sarah Carson — When I went in for my check-up at 31 weeks pregnant, I had no idea anything was wrong inside my body. The nurse said my blood pressure was high, and I was sure it was a fluke. When the doctor announced, “You’ve just won yourself a trip to the...
Sacred objects
by Kimberly Knowle-Zeller In our dining room sits a purple, crystal vase. Most days it’s empty of flowers. It’s there for decoration but also so much more. The vase, like many objects, has a story—a beautiful story of hope, of love beyond death and of the connections...
Out of the darkness
by Anne Basye Sherry Bryant had already been a social worker for 10 years when her son, Todd, took his life in 1993. Her graduate and professional education had prepared her to face many human struggles, but not this one. In a survivor’s group, she heard the word...
As God sees us
by Audrey West In the house where I grew up, there is a large plastic bin filled with glittery scarves, 40-year-old prom dresses, baseball caps, a broken stethoscope, gardener’s gloves and a pile of fabric scraps. One day I encountered my niece digging through the...
Finding our voices
by Amy Reumann The pastor of a small-town congregation came to my office door with a plea. He wanted to know why the regional food bank that supplied his church’s pantry had suddenly cut back on the food staples they relied on. Demand in the community was up, he said....
Confronting our comfort
by Judith Roberts Our identities shape our stories and experiences of the wider world. As a racial justice trainer/facilitator, I often facilitate an activity called “What’s in your bowl?” designed to help individuals share how their community, identity and culture...
Seeing Jesus at night
by Elizabeth Hunter One night at bedtime, my youngest child surprises me by asking God to bless the people who will be awake while he sleeps. His firefighter uncle, putting in a 24-hour shift. The bakers, making fresh bread for the morning. The police, charged with...
Singing our faith
by Scott C. Weidler Worship is powerful—more powerful than we realize. As we gather around Jesus Christ, present in God’s word and the sacraments, to be sent out into the world, are we fully cognizant of our words, actions and songs—especially our songs? I can’t help...
Katie Luther’s legacy
by Audrey Riley. On January 29, 1499, a little girl was born in Saxony, not far from the city of Leipzig, Germany. No one could have foreseen that she would live on in the hearts of her sisters in faith for centuries to come—but that’s what happened. Little Katharina...
Celebrate abundance
by Elizabeth McBride Imagine throwing a party and inviting only people who wear green hats. You spend weeks focused on attracting green hat-wearing people to the party. When the day of the party comes, a couple of green hat-wearers come through the door, and you’re...
The gift of generations
by Sarah Carson Lately I’ve been thinking about what my future might look like. Will I get married? Have children? Will I always be happy living the single life with my two dogs? I’m blessed to have great people in my life to go to for advice. For instance, a few...
Meditating in color
by Ann Hafften Vonda Drees often describes her life and work as a journey. She encourages spiritual growth and enrichment with groups, in person and online in an artistic process she calls “a journey with a community.” As artist-in-residence for the Women of the ELCA...
‘There are two in there’
by Brenda Meier Kimaro Hands down, the most important lesson motherhood has taught me is that I absolutely, without-a-doubt need God’s unwavering grace in my life. I delivered the twins at the age of 41. The doctors referred to this as an “advanced maternal age.”...
Sisters and brothers
by Angela T. Khabeb I remember a conversation with one parishioner who made an appointment to meet with me in my office. She announced, “Pastor, I want to talk to you about the first sermon you ever preached here.” I couldn’t believe my ears. I asked for...
Time to reflect
—by Linda Post Bushkofsky There’s something so compelling about the Ash Wednesday liturgy. It begins with the extended confession of sins where we acknowledge our unfaithfulness, pride, hypocrisy, self-indulgence, indifference, and prejudice, to name but a few of the...
A woman’s place 500 years hence
by Barbara Berry Bailey In celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Gather is carrying out a series of conversations with 21st century women who offer perspectives on the role of churchwomen. We hope to add some new images to those we instantly think...
A true, blue Christmas
by Kathleen Kastilahn Betty Landis recalls the December some dozen years ago when, as a seminarian, she struggled with four diagnoses of cancer in her family. It’s also when she first attended a Blue Christmas service. “I soaked it in,” Landis said. Now pastor of St....
Walking fools
by Christa von Zychlin-- The elderly gentleman gave me the once over as I raced into the hospital lobby looking for a bathroom. It was decades ago; I was a freshly minted pastor, a pioneer among the mostly male leaders of every Christian denomination. I had driven a...