Grant me patience, God,
when my computer
updates and restarts.
Grant me patience, God,
right now!!
Remind me, God,
that like a computer,
I sometimes need to update,
to expand my thinking,
and increase my knowledge
to help me function more effectively.
Remind me, God,
that like a computer,
sometimes I need to turn off,
to rest, to renew,
and to love myself that I might
love you,
love your beloved children,
and love your wondrous creation
more faithfully.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
Filed under Prayer, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Emmanuel. God with us. If God is with us, any photo would work to express Emmanuel. I chose several that show working for justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God by visiting elected representatives, advocating, making a public witness, and amplifying other voices.
Photo 1 – New York delegation at Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2019, Washington, DC.
Photo 2 – Advocacy postcards for immigration justice, Whitestone, NY – 2018
Photo 3 – Standing Rock, SD – 2016
Photo 4 – Whitestone, NY – 2015
Photo 5 – Louisville, Ky – May 1, 2021
Great conversation about how to restore people with the Rev. Dr. Don Shriver, president emeritus at Union Theological Seminary, and the Rev. Stanley Chimeysa, prison chaplain from the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian in Malawi.
They are leading thinkers and practitioners of restorative justice.
Their thinking and acting is moving toward transformative justice.
Photo: February 11, 2019; Manhattan, New York; not sure who took the photo. Obviously not me. There were several other people present.
With thanks to my friend Jimmie Hawkins for the profound reminder that obedience to higher principles, values, and visions often requires disobedience to unjust and immoral laws, rules and regulations. Order Unbroken and Unbowed.
Photo: 25 June, 2022; Louisville, Kentucky
Filed under Advent, Antiracism, Current Events, Friends, Human Rights, Photo, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The dictionary says of “winnow” =
(of the wind) blow.
“the autumn wind winnowing its way through the grass”
It’s not grass. And I don’t know the season. But it seems to me the wind has winnowed this tree a lot over a lot of time.
Photo: 25 August 2012, Allenspark, CO
Filed under Advent, Photo, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Thank you, God,
for all my colleagues who
generously gave to support the local pantry.
Watch over all who receive this food,
help them know your presence.
Guide us Gpd to work to create a system
in which your abundance is shared
so that all your precious children
have enough.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Filed under Friends, Prayer, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
At the end of Eric and Essie Koenig-Reinke’s wedding.
It has been a while.
But delight lasts a long, long time.
Photo: 8 June 2022, Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, VA
Filed under Advent, Family, Louisville, Music, playlist, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
A Palestinian flag flies in a camp at Standing Rock.
A witness to solidarity.
A reminder that all struggles for justice are intertwined.
A symbol of unity.
Photo: 14 November 2016, Standing Rock, North Dakota
Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Photo, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Rev. Essie Koenig-Reinke celebrates communion at the service where she was ordained as a minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). She was ordained by the Presbytery of Baltimore at Dickey Memorial Presbyterian Church (DMPC).
If ever anyone was ready for ordained ministry (and most folks who reach that point are), Essie was. Her ministry at DMPC and beyond os a blessing.
Photo: 14 November 2021, Dickey Memorial Presbyterian Church, Baltimore, Maryland
Filed under Family, Photo, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Women’s Day March
March, 2015
New York, New York
Along the Graybeard Trail 