Blog Archives: November 2020

A poetic grounding in prayer. Marge Piercy's 2000 volume, The Art of Blessing the Day, is full of prayers in poetic form. In "Shema/V'ahavta," she reimagines a traditional Jewish prayer in a way that feels beautiful, powerful, and absolutely necessary for these days. Shema Hear, Israel, you are of God and God is one. Praise the name that speaks us through all time. V'ahavta So you shall love what is holy with all your courage, with all your passion  with all your strength. Let the words that ...

I remember the first day I drove past Chestnut Hill United Church. The rainbow flag caught my eye, because I grew up in a UCC church and knew that if a church had a rainbow flag outside, it must be associated with the United Church of Christ. At the time I was a single person living in Philadelphia. I was no longer attending my hometown church, which was an hour away. I so badly wanted to be a part of a church family and to have a place to further my relationship with God. After becoming a member and going on to help with the youth, I ...