I was introduced to Wendell Berry’s work when preparing for a wedding early in my ministry. The couple included his poem “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front” in their service, and then gave me a copy of his collected works. These few lines have offered me hope more times than I can count: Expect the … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope in Laughter

William Carlos Williams points us toward the sights that surround us and the refreshment that we can find there.  Hope is all around if we look for it. APPROACH TO A CITY Getting through with the world- I never tire of the mystery of these streets: the three baskets of dried flowers in the high … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope in the Small Holiness of Braver Things

#31daysofhope Words from Carter Heyward that remind me of what is essential. Christmas Beatitudes 2016 By Carter Heyward Blessed are those who are kind, especially when it’s hard Blessed are those angry for justice in situations of unfairness and oppression, Blessed are the compassionate in times of hatred, Blessed are those who speak honestly when … Continue reading Hart to Heart: Beatitudes for Our Time

My colleague, the Reverend Theresa Ines Soto, lifts up hope by reminding us both that the Universe has been waiting for us, and that it may be hard work right about now.   Finally, you There are a lot of things that are not going to work out. Planet probes, Jean Claude Van Damme movies, … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Dance

A colleague who was putting off writing her sermon wondered about how to find the stories of Martin Luther King, Jr. that showed the side of him that we don’t often see:  the man who was fearful and lost, the pastor to his people, the father and husband in the small moments.  Most of the … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope from the Ancestors, Part 2

Last Sunday, I had the joy of sitting in worship without having a single task to perform.  I got to sing, say our unison words and simply drink in the message and our beautiful worship space.  The singing is an important part for me.  Throughout my adult life, I’ve loved to sing, and often feel … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope Emerges from Singing Together

Author Sherman Alexie is a favorite of mine.  His willingness to speak the truth through his fiction, his poetry, and films connects with me.  In an interview with The Stranger, he reflects on the role of the arts in resistance movements: I’m not one of those artist-writers who thinks they have any real power. I’m … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope from Other Voices

I need to be reminded what it means to live in and with hope.  Rev Victoria Safford offers us this poem to help us remember. Our mission is to plant ourselves at the gates of Hope— Not the prudent gates of Optimism, Which are somewhat narrower. Not the stalwart, boring gates of Common Sense; Nor … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Living at the Gates of Hope

We have all sorts of ancestors.  For me, the heroes of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s are precious ancestors from whom I draw hope.  Their persistence, their faithfulness, their organization inspire me and remind me what ordinary people can do every day. Today’s hopefulness comes from Rosa Parks.  I honor her … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope from the Ancestors, Part 1

How can you find hope in a Christmas cookie?  I find hope in many moments of beauty in the world, but these fragile and beautiful and tasty moments are lifting me up again this season. The cookies are made by Janet Link, a woman whose mother was friends with my mother and who I’ve had … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope in What is Fragile