Your Following

“To follow Jesus means to follow Jesus into a society where justice rules, where love shapes everything. To follow Jesus means to take up his dream and work for it.” — Scot McKnight————————————————————————————————–Dear Friends: Where are you being called to follow? The concept of “following” holds unique meaning in this era of social media. When […]

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Blessed You Are…

Luke 6:17–23 [NRSV]17 [Jesus] came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who […]

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AHa!

———————-“I cannot be awake, for nothing looks to me as it did before, or else I am awake for the first time, and all before has been a mean sleep.” ― Walt Whitman He Qi, The Adoration of the Magi Matthew 2:1-2  NRSVIn the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of […]

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Caring for Lives, Forsaking Fear

Matthew 10:26-31 ‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body […]

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From Reeling to Kneeling to Healing

Matthew 9:35 – 10:1 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he […]

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True Love is Golden

Luke 6:27-31       Have you heard of the law of reciprocity? How about the golden ratio? In essence, the law of reciprocity is the social norm of responding to a positive action with another positive action, rewarding kind actions. Reciprocity means that in response to friendly actions, people are frequently much nicer and much more […]

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Reaching Outside the Lines

Luke 4:21-30      Dear Readers, Quick question, and please be honest. Are you hearing any prophetic words, seeing any prophetic justice-action these days that are reaching across lines of difference, welcoming the marginalized, and standing up to hate and injustice and privilege? Are you? If so, please share in the comments. And now…Luke’s version of Jesus’ […]

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Intimate Hearing, Radical Living

Luke 4:14-21   Echo [Ronin], a deaf superhero Hearing is one of our senses, along with seeing, tasting, smelling, and touching. Now, let me ask—how many of you are deaf or have a close family member or friend who is deaf? As a hearing person, I am amazed at how in tune deaf people are with […]

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Interfaith Immersion Day 4

Wednesday At noon we journeyed to Repair the World, The organization partners with local and community-based organizations like the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children and Broad Street Ministry as it seeks to build a kinder and more equitable city. Repair the World works to inspire American Jews and their communities to give their time and […]

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Love Builds Up

Mark 1:21-39 Let’s talk demons, afflictions, identity and love. Cool with you? Okay, first, a story about Jesus of Nazareth. He’s making his way to Capernaum–perhaps the most important and well-connected community in the region of Galilee. There was a temple there, and Jesus was about to darken its door. Mark’s Gospel is the speed […]

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