Sacred Connections

John 17:6-11    I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have […]

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Beloved Rising Up

John 20:1-18 Well, well, here we are. It’s the Easter/Resurrection story. Now I don’t know how you interpret this, or how it makes you feel. If you’re someone who thinks it’s BS, stay with me; your insight is needed in this conversation. If you’re someone who isn’t sure what it means, keep at it; your […]

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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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It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts

Mark 7:1-7; 14,15     You ever hear this before: It’s what’s on the inside that counts! You know what it means, right? That your outward appearance is less important than your personality. Or, to take it a step further, that your SOUL [your whole self] is THE most important thing. If that’s what you get out […]

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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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Building & Nurturing Reconciling Community

Matthew 5:21-24; 33-37  So many labels. We are named this, that, the other thing. We are told what we are capable of or not capable of. And we bring all of these experiences into our relationships. We bring all of this into community. These labels, these stereotypes—they hinder us from fully expressing ourselves and sometimes […]

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Who Are Our Neighbors?

Luke 10:25-37 Whelp, this is a well-known story. I’ll try to highlight some of the details that may sometimes go unnoticed before I share some thoughts. First off, the person asking the question, “Who is my neighbor?” is a lawyer. Why that is significant is because of what lawyers do. Lawyers qualify and define elements […]

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How Do We Measure Success?

Luke 10:1-11 This story, in my opinion, is about how one defines success.My initial thoughts on the background of this Luke story: it’s originally a Mark story, but instead of Jesus sending out 12 [as in Mark], Jesus sends 70, or is that 72? Some Bible translations go with 70, while others say 72. Why? […]

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Pentecost Inside, Spirit Outside

John 14:8-17; 24-27   What is on the inside eventually shows itself on the outside. Have you seen the Pixar movie Inside Out? Many have, but just in case you missed it, Inside Out’s story revolves around a young girl named Riley, who is uprooted from her comfortable Minnesota home when she moves to the […]

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The Three Ps, Every Day

John 15: 26-27, 16:4b-15     Inclusive Bible Note: Paraclete can be translated: one who consoles or comforts, one who encourages or uplifts, one who refreshes, and/or one who intercedes on our behalf as an advocate When the Paraclete comes, the Spirit of Truth who comes from Abba God, whom I myself will send from my Abba—she […]

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