November 2020

Texts: Isaiah 64:1-9; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-27 Worst. Year. Ever. Right? We’re on the countdown to the end of 2020 now, and that end cannot come soon enough for most people. We’ve seen things this year we all hope never to see again. It’s been mob-led riots interrupting peaceful protests and destroying businesses. Health care […]

The Lighting of the Town happened in Friday Harbor this year by stealth.  There was no Friday-after-Thanksgiving early evening mass gathering at the foot of Spring Street.  (Everyone knows that’s not allowed right now.)  No switch was thrown to cheers and applause.  Instead it seems like there was just a gradual process of lights coming on.  I wonder if

Texts: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24; Ephesians 1:15-23; Matthew 25:31-46 Lots of people are contemplating a quiet Thanksgiving this year, and not by choice. From talking with folks I know that even those who do gather will keep it very small, under the pandemic guidelines. I’m so grateful for the island community groups that will be cooking and

It’s been a tough week, it’s true.  We have done a good job in these islands minimizing the effect of the virus.  But just now it’s not safe for people to come here without testing and quarantining, and going off island isn’t recommended either except for necessary things like medical appointments.  (Costco feels pretty necessary to me, but

Many years ago there was a church in a small town in the Midwest, surrounded by farms. The congregation, of course, was populated primarily by farm families. These were traditional farms that raised some livestock and grew vegetables. However grain was their principal cash crop. Each year after the harvest at about this time, every

It seems like this is a really important time to remember the goodness of our lives.  To spend some time reflecting on what we have now, what we have had, and what we will have again when this is over.  We are blessed.  You know that right? If we have a roof over our heads, we have blessing.  If we have food on the

November is the time when our bible readings are all about the return of Jesus Christ in power and glory.  It is a time of uncertainty and waiting.  The themes are both dire and hopeful.  They never lose their currency though, because isn’t life itself both terrifying and wonderful? I rediscovered in my files a poem appropriate to

Tomorrow will be All Hallow’s Eve.  Old English rendered it as Halloween.  Or, as it’s called in Spanish-speaking areas, Dia de los Muertos – the Day of the Dead. No matter what language you speak, folk traditions say that on this day spirits that are normally safely restrained are set free to roam at will.  We’re accustomed to

Texts: Revelation 7:9-17; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12 Years ago…oh, it was a long time ago. Back in my tour bus driving days in Alaska. The tour company dispatcher used to assign me quite regularly to a tour of the Colony farms of the Matanuska Valley some forty minutes outside of Anchorage. The Colony was established