“… before there is reconciliation, there is forgiveness. And before forgiveness,, there is an apology. And before the apology, there is a radical act of admittance… saying I was wrong…” Read More
SERMON: The Word is Empathy.
Audio of sermon preached for Epiphany Sunday at St. John’s UCC, Bongards,MN.
BLOG: Embodying the Light.
… long before you were deemed “responsible enough” to hold an open flame, you were still given the Christmas Eve candle, and reminded that you would be holding the Light of Christ, so be careful… Read More
Notans & Yupo Inks
One of my favorite art exercises is to combine the traditionally black & white paper cutting design called notans with the art technique of putting alcohol inks on yupo paper. The results are always a burst of color and energy. I recently was commissioned to design a cover for a Christian education brochure and catalog… Read More
SERMON: Isaiah’s Immanuel
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Read More
BLOG: one offhand comment
“you getting good to try and impress my daughter?!” It was the offhand comment made by the basketball coach at the first practice of the season – the one that my son is still stewing about three weeks later. Mind you, my 6th grade son is not the best kid on the team. He is… Read More
SERMON: Isaiah’s Suffering Servant
Audio of today’s sermon for St. John’s UCC, Bongards, MN. November 10, 2019 Listen here: ISAISH’S Sufferibg Servant From the sermon series Isaiah’s Prophetic Vision. Nov. 2019
BLOG: Community, not membership.
LET’S BE A COMMUNITY OF FAITH Membership and community have some basic fundamental differences: Membership is exclusive … Community is inclusive. Membership is closed… Community is open. Membership says “do you belong?”… Community says “you belong here.” Membership has limited resources… Community has unlimited potential. Membership lives in scarcity… Community lives in abundance. Membership requires buy… Read More
SERMON: At Table with the Saints
“…marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, this is the promise of our inheritance…” Read More
SERMON: Be a Doer
“A faith that is pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their times of distress” Read More
SERMON: Table Manners
“if you’re enemy is hungry, feed them.” Read More
The Gates of Hope
This poem, by Victoria Safford, is speaking to my heart today. The Gates of Hope:Our mission is to plant ourselves at the gates of Hope—Not the prudent gates of Optimism,Which are somewhat narrower.Not the stalwart, boring gates of Common Sense;Nor the strident gates of Self-Righteousness,Which creak on shrill and angry hinges(People cannot hear us there;… Read More
SERMON: At Table with Our Enemies
“love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” Read More
SERMON: A Table for those “Like Us”
“when you have done this to the least of these, you have done it into me” Read More
SERMON: Hospitality, with Mercy
Audio of sermon preached for St. John’s UCC, Bongards, MN. September 15, 2019. Listen here: Hospitality, With Mercy. From the Fall 2019 sermon series Room At the Table: The Hospitality Scriptures.
poem: REMEMBERING
what I remember most is the ash. the way that brilliant blue sky of the morning turned cloudy with the ashes that floated down like the snowflakes of a quiet storm, and drifted into the corners of the windows and doorways. those drifts piled up silently, untouched for days, weeks. everytime I looked out the… Read More
SERMON: The Kid’s Table
Jesus said “let the little children come to me” Read More
SERMON: The Welcome Table.
“for everyone who exalts themselves will be humbled, and everyone who humbles themselves will be exalted” Read More
Cathy Mia Kolwey 