Today we pray. For peace, justice, and mercy. I encourage you to listen (again) to Marty Shupack’s prayer from Sunday’s service for the election. Reminding me of the twelve representatives who each took a stone from the Jordan River to contribute to the collective memorial, pastors and faith leaders of the executive team of the Interfaith Alliance of Champaign County share
Read MoreUnderstanding our story within the larger story of our country, within the much larger story of God’s work in the world, is an ongoing process. Carolyn Vance thinks about her history within this widening context as we prepare for our Thanksgiving offering. May we also submit our stories to the light of God’s ongoing revelation. -Renée
Read MoreI woke up with the word “hope.” There was no apparent reason for this. I certainly hadn’t gone to bed with hope, and today didn’t look much different. Still gray. Same pandemic, same politics. And yet. My hope is built on nothing less(and nothing more)than Jesus’ love/life/bloodand righteousness I had been feeling a bit discouraged.
Read MoreNCF recognizes Nathan Welsh’s voice reading scripture, on the music team, and as father and spouse. My heart leaped to see his family at worship after so many months. Many times honored for his work as a surgical nurse who regularly goes above and beyond for his patients, Nathan spoke at the special commemoration of the
Read MoreI was trying to explain a decision that seems, at this point, somewhat nonsensical. Or doesn’t clearly benefit our family. One of the joys of raising mature children is having conversations about a wide range of topics. Including, and especially, why we do what we do. I found myself hearkening back to the process of
Read MoreThe sanctuary sat empty. Our parking lot borders a busy street, and the fire trucks are frequently active on Sunday mornings. NCF has no cemetery of green space for distanced worship. And meeting in a park never seemed quite right to me. Listening to professional recordings of our own music as I tramped through forest preserves,
Read MoreI almost didn’t open Richard Rohr’s email about how to get through the next few months. So many voices telling us what to do, I resist advice. Perhaps you also tire of well-intentioned messages. But Rohr’s words ring true: “Stand as a sentry at the door of your senses for these coming months, so ‘the blood-dimmed tide’ cannot make
Read MoreI have been thinking about investing. Our time, our energy, our money. Who invested in me? I fondly remember walking properties in the Northwest, listening to my grandfather describe the importance of a reliable water source- a deep well, a natural spring that never dried up. We clambered through construction sites, learning how to translate rough framing
Read MoreWhat would entice you to sign up for a virtual conference? I’ve wondered this, myself. I am an in-person kind of person. I like to survey the snacks, find my place at the table, flip through the handouts, arrange an assortment of beverages around me. I resist online training. There are advantages to Zoom; I realize this, with
Read MoreMost mornings, after coffee and reading scripture on my own, I listen to Pray as You Go while walking, running, or exploring a park. “Today is Tuesday the 1 September, in the 22nd week of Ordinary Time.” But it’s not. For most of us. Anything approaching ordinary time. Far from it. I listen to the birds. They
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