Beginning with the famous "Invisible Gorilla" study by Daniel Simons, Vince suggests a prayer practice for experiencing transcendence in the midst of our exhausting, pressure-heavy lives, which can feel simultaneously instinctual AND extremely hard (or strange) against the backdrop of Modern Life.
Read MoreIn Illinois, over 9,000 people are unhoused, and over 389,000 more are considered at risk of being unhoused. This Sunday is our annual project for packing relief kits for our unhoused and underhoused neighbors, and for demonstrating that the real moral question for our country is how we treat the poor.
Read MoreWhile there are many unhelpful pictures of power and control, we can find in Jesus a power that is rooted in compassion and trust. On this Juneteenth and Father’s Day weekend, we look at the Psalms’ portrayal of God as a source of help and liberation. (Art: "Christ Breaks the Rifle" by Kelly Latimore)
Read MoreIs "experiencing God" only for certain people? The intuitive or contemplative? Or, alternatively, the super expressive? Or maybe only the most pious? Or those who know the most about the Bible? The Gospels' stories of encounters with the Risen Jesus (like Luke 24's "Road to Emmaus") encourage us beyond these limitations we may place on ourselves. (Art: "Grace" by Rhoda Nyberg, Eric Enstrom)
Read MoreOur hope is that this reflection can stand alone as a meaningful way to pray and slow yourself down today, BUT if you have been following along in our Lent Mealtime Readings & Prayers, this reflection will build upon the story we have been following there (and in particular the reading and prayer for Good Friday).
Read MoreIs God always angry? For Palm Sunday -- which begins Holy Week's march toward Good Friday -- we continue our differentiation from the American Christian legacy that we are "sinners in the hands of an angry God", with a focus on alternative ways to believe in the power of Jesus' crucifixion.
Read MoreConflict, family, prayer, the pros & cons of labels & categories, the unique offers of belonging in the context of mature spiritual convictions: some of the topics Hayley and Vince hit for our final discussion on belonging in modern life.
Read MoreInspired by Discord comments and personally shared reflections from our first two messages on belonging, Hayley and Vince expand on various themes.
Read MoreHayley shares this year’s Christmas reflection after one of our favorite celebrations of the year: our original take on the traditional Anglican Lessons & Carols Christmas service. (Image from @scottthepainter)
Read MoreOn the second Sunday of Advent, we look at the way Luke's Christmas story (the one with the angel Gabriel visiting Mary and Elizabeth, and the manger, and the shepherds) sets up Luke's larger message about Jesus. Think: "Luke is a protest song." (Art by Amber Hawkins)
Read More
