It keeps happening over and over again. People are exhausted…even some of us white people and other people of color. Exhausted from praying and hoping for change. And it keeps happening over and over again. I can cite all the scriptures and champions of justice like Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and countless others. But really? Black. Lives. Are. Sacred.
Read MoreThe coronavirus pandemic has disrupted, postponed, canceled, called into question, and overall changed so many aspects of our lives. Planning for the future—even just weeks out—is precarious at best and for those of us who plan almost every waking moment, it is particularly a challenge!
Read MoreThe ReTurn Team’s Plan for returning to our ministries in a safe and healthy way is now available. As the situation surrounding the pandemic has been somewhat fluid, we expect to adjust the Plan periodically as new information surfaces and new developments occur.
Read MoreAs many of you may have heard, President Trump has just declared the opening of all houses of worship throughout the country. He rightly recognizes that we need “more prayer, not less,” but doesn’t realize that people, including the people called United Methodist, have been praying and worshipping all along through these months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MoreI have been receiving notices from my weather app of flooding around northern Illinois because of all the rain we’ve had. That seems ironic given this week’s biblical tale from the pandemic is the story of Noah. I hadn’t been thinking about Noah until I read the introduction to the ReTurn Team’s comprehensive work on how we can—when we can—return to our ministries in a safe and healthy way.
Read MoreIt was hard to provide leadership—clergy or laity—in the church before the coronavirus pandemic. It’s really hard now! The first lesson of leadership for these times is to know we aren’t in this alone—God is with us!
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