Genesis 28:10-19a We were there—Cindy Booth, Sarah MacLennan, Fran, Fran’s Dad Reese, and I—on our pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2012. We were there, at the place traditionally identified as the site of Jacob’s life-changing dream. I decided to see if I could enter into the story more fully. I lay down on the […]
Made One in Friendship and Struggle
Galatians 3:27-29 “There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” These are familiar words; we often use them at baptisms. They offer a beautiful, though unclear, vision of unity. Was Paul saying that once a slave became part of the Christian […]
Framingham Community Farm
Dear Friends, I just returned from our third weekly drop off at A Place To Turn—what a joyful way to start the week. Early crops of lettuce, kale, radishes, chard and peas are ready now. They help fill the gap while we wait for summer to really take hold in the garden. All beds are […]
Summer Worship
Throughout the summer, we will continue to worship in our homes via Zoom Sunday, July 5 at 10:00am Rev. Dr. Debbie Clark preaching “Untold Histories” Sunday, July 12 at 10:00am Rev. Dr. Karen Nell Smith preaching “How Can I Keep from Singing?” Sunday, July 12 at 7:00pm, outdoors on our campus Join Debbie and Karen […]
Ordinary People
Dear friends, I recently read a book entitled Why We Act: Turning Bystanders into Moral Rebels, by Catherine A. Sanderson, a professor at Amherst College. Dr. Sanderson reviews a wide range of sociological studies as she pursues the question of why some people step forward to help when they see harm being done. Are […]
Gardening in the Alley
Matthew 25:34-40; Luke 15:3-6; Matthew 11:28-30 They took us to the alley–and the doorways and the park bench and the late-night restrooms. Garrett and Leigh–one homeless, one recently housed, both on the staff of common cathedral’s City Reach youth weekend. I have attended the overnight twice, each time with a confirmation class. Garrett took Jacob […]
Tender Hearts for Tough Times
Ephesians 4:25-5:2 I was drawn in by the headline, “The Gift of Anger and Broken-heartedness.” I was intrigued by the author, Greg Epstein, humanist chaplain at Harvard and MIT. What really captured my attention was a single paragraph in this Boston Globe op-ed I read last week, in which Epstein referred to his friend Rod […]
A Parade Reimagined
Genesis 18:1-15 “Rolling Pride Parade.” The email caught my eye. The 50th Anniversary Boston Pride Parade had been cancelled due to COVID-19. A group of parents of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender youth in our area felt strongly that their kids needed and deserved a celebration. They connected with Out Metrowest, an organization our church […]
Summer Worship Plans
May 21, 2020 Dear friends, On Tuesday night, 22 members of our congregation gathered for a Church Council meeting. At that meeting, we voted unanimously to hold our Sunday morning worship services remotely throughout the summer. We will not worship in person in the sanctuary this summer. Over the several weeks, we will assess what […]
A Letter from your Pastors
Dear friends, Ahmaud Arberry. Breanna Taylor. George Floyd. Three beloved children of God. Ahmaud loved to jog. Breanna was an EMT. George was a father. Each of them loved and was loved. Each brought gifts to offer our world. The world is poorer because of their deaths. We grieve the loss of these our sister […]