October 1, 2023
Incarnational Faith: The Vulnerability of Becoming FleshÂ
Alternative title: “I Don’t Want To Be Here” courtesy of Raymond Funk. Today, Jess Williams continued our theme “Being Human Together” with a talk of many titles, and two of them made it to the final cut!
September 24, 2023
The Art of Kvetching
Renate responded to this week’s lectionary passages with thoughts on complaining and lamenting in the spirit of “Being Human Together.” She touched on listening to the unspoken lament within our unfiltered grievances and the potential of kvetching to be artful, fun and meaningful when thoughtfully shared with friends.
September 17, 2023
Sadness & Pain: Softness and Connection
Today, as part of our new theme of “Being Human Together,” Walter shared on how music and lament can help us experience our sadness in order to become softer and more connected with others.
September 10, 2023
Fall Updates (2nd Breakfast)
After some lively chatting over 2nd Breakfast, the Leadership Collective gave some updates as we begin the journey into the fall season together – there’s lots happening over the coming weeks and months!
September 3, 2023
Listen to the Longings of Your Heart
Jess Williams reflects on home and the longings of the heart that led her to St. Stephen. She talks about loving her heart for leading her well, and how her (sometimes messy!) life, and belonging to this community is teaching her to let go of perfectionism (fear!) and trust that our belovedness has nothing to do with what we are able to achieve or perform.
August 27, 2023
Bible Trigger Warning vs. Transformational Wisdom
Rachael considers what trigger warnings we might want the Romans 12 lectionary reading to come with in light of the harmful ways it’s sometimes been interpreted and used, and then how a “renewed” interpretation can offer us transformational wisdom for our real lives and beloved selves.
August 20, 2023
Friendship & Connection
Our well-being benefits greatly from healthy mutually beneficial relationships. In this conversation Marilyn and Virginia explore knowing what you need from connection and thoughts on how to intentionally work on getting our needs for community met.
August 13, 2023
Gardening in Community
Today, Walter interviewed Ray Funk about the value of gardening in community. Listen to some of the history and hopes and outcomes of our community garden – Victoria St. Community Garden
August 6, 2023
Goodness & Rest
This morning, Walter emphasized the importance of a rhythm that encourages us to acknowledge goodness and take a real rest – the rhythm of Sabbath. We hope that […]
August 2, 2023
Jesus: New And Old
In the lectionary readings this week, we read how Jesus explained the Kingdom of God as “the new and the old.” Mark Groleau focuses on how polarized Jesus’ time was – just like today. But Jesus’ “new way” was compassion, and the conviction that he had started a new age of healing and equality among his followers.
July 23, 2023
A sheltering tree (and a shaping river)
Rachael shares some summer story-telling from her month in England, featuring an ancient oak tree and with a guest appearance from a moorland river. Woven through the personal stories are reflections and questions related to the nature of prayer and God
July 16, 2023
The Serenity to Endure
Today Walter shared some thoughts on making it easier to endure pain and hardship if we help each other tell ourselves better stories, using a paraphrase of Romans 5.1-4 (and his own experience) as an example.