July 7, 2013, Diana Bender preaching
Today, we just heard the end of the book of Matthew. Within 3 weeks, I studied carefully the end of Luke, the end of John, the end of Matthew. At the same time, I experienced the end of my job and a major life work, and the end of a big phase of my parenting career. I think God is trying to get my attention. Something about endings maybe?
January 20, 2013 The Rev Kate Wesch preaching
It was late and we were both tired, but I knew we might be there for hours, so on the way out the door I grabbed a book. I was reading Anne Lamott’s new book, a slim volume, called, “Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers.” In her typical style of lengthy run-on sentences filled with self-deprecating humor, raw honest emotion, and startling insight, Lamott focuses in on these three repeating themes of prayer: Help, Thanks, Wow.
June 24, 2012, The Rev Kate Wesch preaching
In a world of specialties and advanced degrees,
it’s easy to defer to the “experts” on all manner of topics –
from medicine to child rearing, to public safety and technology.
Why, just this past week,
I heard a story on NPR about the two people
killed by grizzly bears last year at Yellowstone National Park.
After 25 years incident free,
it seems people have become complacent about the bears.
According to the report,
“Park officials say visitors sometimes take safety for granted,
in part because they’re used to visiting zoos and amusement parks,
where nature is much, much more controlled.
So Yellowstone is trying to get the word out about bear safety.”
Yellowstone spokesperson, Al Nash warns,
“I fear that some visitors believe that if things were dangerous,
we, the National Park Service, would somehow control it.
That’s not the case.”