Category Archives for "Religious Exploration"

I Am Bad At Asking For HelpMaybe you are as well?  Or, if you are not bad at it, perhaps you made a conscious choice to get better at asking for help, or were taught from a young age how to ask for and receive help.  Wherever you are in the “asking for help journey”, […]

I Am Bad At Asking For HelpMaybe you are as well?  Or, if you are not bad at it, perhaps you made a conscious choice to get better at asking for help, or were taught from a young age how to ask for and receive help.  Wherever you are in the “asking for help journey”, […]

Embracing PossibilitiesThis will be an uncertain year.  I am certain about that much.  Our ritual ingathering service this Sunday marks the beginning of our second year to begin again in times of Covid.  Throughout the difficulties presented by virtual church, I’ve been aware of the tension between grief and hope day to day, and how […]

Spiritual Practice Makes…Let’s try an experiment.  Keep your eyes open.  Extend the index finger on each hand and hold your fingers parallel to the horizon, elbows pointed out to the sides.  Bring the fingers up to eyelevel, adjust your focus, and then bring the index fingers together until your fingertips touch.  Refocus. Practice. Do it […]

Between Too Much and Not EnoughI’ve been reminded of explorers and adventurers relying on the stars, their best equipment and knowledge to set out into the unknown with the hopes of safe passage and arrival at a new destination. Some of us are still wary of large gatherings, some of us are beyond ready to […]

Our COVID YearWhen we began our church year in the fall of 2020, we had already adjusted to online worship.  Religious Exploration staff experimented with programmatic offerings, and overall, it was a relatively quiet year. Our youth program continued to meet online.  Both the Middle School and High School groups met regularly with their volunteer […]

Keeping a Sense of Awe“Children see magic because they look for it.” – Author Christopher Moore“Only where children gather is there any real chance of fun” – Journalist and Author Mignon McLaughlinThe pandemic has been a stress across generations, even for those resilient and emerging children and youth who will be forever impacted by the […]

The Warmth of RitualLast night after dinner, as I sat at the table talking over the day with Jason, my four-year-old slid quietly away from the table and headed into a room of our house that we’ve repurposed during the pandemic.  Our two boys decided to share a room, feeling comforted by someone else being […]

Each and Every DayFebruary is Black History Month.  It is also the shortest month of the year.  So how do we honor black history makers, while recognizing that black history is relevant 365 days a year?  Can we make a February gesture without legitimizing the idea that black history is an aside to our shared […]

Show Up in Love“I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul…” We have arrived surely into the year 2021.  It is here.  I’ve pinched myself just to be sure this is not a dream, even though recently, my sleeping dreams have been […]