Category: call
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A rainy day grave and a call to ministry.
It has been twenty years exactly. Twenty years since Pastor David Stoner surprised me in Bible study and started a chain of events I never expected to end up here. As we sat in study, someone asked him about seminary (not me) and he was sharing information about it. At…
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Where in the World is Pastor Julie Kelly?
A brief on how I ended up in Syracuse. What a journey! In April I submitted my paperwork to be open to call (that means “job” in churchy language). I released it to the ENTIRE ELCA, including global service. I had no idea what to expect. The story follows. I…
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Under the Altar Cloth:
Our job as a pastor is to lead by living as well as speaking and teaching. If we live a life so out of balance, what are we teaching? We must attend to this carefully and not stray- the consequences are too dear.
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Under the Altar Cloth (UtAC)
My friend Suzannah once said, “I am so angry that we don’t get told ANY of this as a congregation member! We don’t want to be ignorant about these things!”
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The stillness of Holy Week
Sometimes we rush through life so much we forget to be still. The idea of stillness in Holy Week almost seems wrong….
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Is she there yet? Where did she go?
The mistress is on the run! Hurricane Irma is set to begin impacting the U.S. mainland tomorrow by lunchtime. I have deployed to help with the American Red Cross as a Disaster Spritual Care Responder. As I write, I am bunked up (finally after a very long day of travel)…
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The Ones who leave you like Atreyu
It happens to all of us. We get star struck. We see someone and we feel like we are approaching The Oracle in The NeverEnding Story. Suddenly, we are little Atreyu. We know that our truth will be seen and if we try to cover it with bravado or airs,…
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You are enough
Sermon for Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Croton on Hudson, NY June 12, 2016 Luke 7:36-50 May I begin with a confession? You are my people, you have laughed and cried with me. You sat vigil with me as I worried over the safety and welfare of my children when…
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When Racial Tension Isn’t the Issue, but Contributes Nonetheless; What Shall I Say?
I cannot respond from any place other than my own. I recognize that I write from privilege and apologize for my ignorance or ineptitude, but silence is worse than the fault of trying imperfectly. The tragic and shocking death of a Virginia reporter and cameraman is rocking the nation this…
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M.E. and Remembering what I Forgot and The Impossible
Today (day 2) M.E. writes, “One of the great sorrows which came to human beings when Adam and Eve left the Garden was the loss of memory, memory of all that God’s children are meant to be.” In the following questions we are asked to ponder the impossible we have…
Mistress of Divinity 