Speaker: Walter Thiessen

painting of Jesus washing the feet of Peter

Serving

On this second breakfast Sunday, Walter prepares for our table chat by reflecting back on the Holy Week example of Jesus washing his disciple’s feet, asking us to […]

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Presence, Truth and Judgement

Walter explores finding the balance between speaking hard truths and yet being more spacious and present when listening to people. You can listen below and view his powerpoint […]

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Wholly in the World in 2026

Walter begins the year reflecting on the priorities that seem most important after this past year, especially choosing gratitude, spiritual tradition, community, engaging the natural world and committing […]

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Waking up in the Dark

On this first Sunday of Advent, Walter’s homily focused especially on the Romans 13 passage: Paul’s encouragement for us to wake up because our salvation is near. The opportunities for us to turn from our sleepy distractions and live the life of love that Jesus invites and makes possible are ready and waiting. 

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The Life that Really Is Life

Walter’s homily tracks the straightforward thread through the morning’s lectionary readings. In order to live the “life that really is life,” we need to turn from our society’s love of money and turn toward the contentment that devotion makes possible.

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Rich toward God: Paying Attention to What Matters

Walter shared some reflections on the lectionary readings from a couple of weeks ago, especially the encouragement of Jesus to focus on being “rich toward God” rather than wasting time on things that don’t matter. Lots of poetry (Rilke and Rumi) were a part of the encouragement to listen to our deepest loves and longings in order to remember what matters.

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painting of Beethoven

Beethoven, Joy and Strife

Walter used Beethoven’s example of finding joy in the midst of suffering to talk about the value of celebrating joy even when times are hard. (He was going to start listing all the ways in which we’ve been feeling hardship and loss lately, but the music got him too choked up.)

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white dove

God in You Has Your Back

Walter’s homily shares a conversation that resonated with Jesus’ promise in John 14 that the Advocate would teach us everything. He went on to leave us with the paradox that God is in us and beyond us.

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