We’ve been talking a lot about being an “open house” at Winnetka Congregational Church. I really love this metaphor for our church. The other day, I was thinking about why it seems so right for us, and a sound came to mind.Yes, a sound.The sound of a slamming screen door. Now, I realize for some people, that is an incredibly annoying sound. But for me, it’s a good one. A sound that brings me joy. Maybe...
I want to just start by saying, if you and your family don’t go to church, this is not meant to feel like a “should” in any way. We all have enough “shoulds” in our lives, right? I have a lot of friends who haven’t made religion a part of their lives. And I understand why - these days churches don’t have such a great reputation. Mostly seen as judgmental, exclusive, mind-numbing, too often churches can also...
On June 19, WCC was a sponsor of HEROS' (Healing Everyday Racism in Our Schools) Juneteenth community education event at Winnetka's Village Green "Hidden Stories of the North Shore: Call to Action." The purpose of the event was to bring light to the hidden history of racial discrimination in our own backyard, to raise awareness of HERO's work and to inspire friends and neighbors to get involved. It was a beautiful warm summer morning. Hidden stories of...
We just came out of a very difficult and uncomfortable year and a half. So many of us are feeling all kinds of things…all at once. We’re grieving losses and celebrating long-awaited hugs. We’re ready to move on, start our “real lives” again. And also NOT. QUITE. READY. It feels like a time of new beginnings…and one jam-packed with questions. We find ourselves wondering: “Will what’s next be incredible or far from it?” Basically, we’re swirling. This time we’re in reminds...
Chances are, at some point in your life, you’ve prayed. And chances are, that when you think about prayer, you think about how you, or others, pray to God. But, as often as you’ve stopped to pray about others, about the world, or about a personal need… have you ever stopped to think that you’re not the only one praying? Because you’re not. Even as you might pray to God… Jesus is praying for you....
The escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians, triggered by recent events in Jerusalem are cause for global concern. Both because of the immediate impact this conflict is having on the people most directly affected, for whom God calls us to pray no less than if they were our across-the-fence neighbors, our closest kith and kin. And, also, because of the way in which these recent events and the overarching and ongoing conflict within that region...
The conviction of ex-Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin on all three counts related to the murder and unlawful death of George Floyd is an important milestone. A chance to breathe. After a year of bated breath. And, at least partially, a source of relief and resolution. For the Floyd Family. For Minneapolis. For those who identify as people of color. And for all Americans. It speaks to the power of due process, to the truth being...
It isn’t easy to look at death and see a beginning. In the Christian tradition of trying to understand and follow Jesus, we pivot around Easter Sunday. We anchor our faith in a story of celebration. And of resurrection. But, honestly…? This story isn’t easy to believe. The idea that Jesus could die, be lifelessly sealed in a tomb, and then, on the third day, rise… just like that! It can sound fantastical. Maybe even scary.And...
Sometimes it seems like we’re better at building walls than building bridges. Every morning, many of us wake up and log on to what can feel a little bit like a battlefield. We’re confronted with news bulletins and newsfeeds that outline, in thousands of strongly-held convictions and hastily written rebuttals, how our work of building the Beloved Community is clearly undone. We label and belittle. We partition and divide ourselves from one another. And we can feel...
When I started thinking about Lent this year, one word kept coming to my mind: Undone. Trying to seem like we have it all together is something many of us feel like we need to do…are expected to do. Even though feeling tired, overwhelmed, unsure, and a little bit like an imposter are fundamental human experiences that we ALL share, we can invest lots of time and energy and pasted-on smiles in trying to convince those...