Monthly Archives: January 2014

“Reveal” a poem prayer by Todd Jenkins

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Maren

One of the few original writers for Gifts in Open Hands, More Worship Resources for the Global Community (Pilgrim, 2011, Tirabassi and Eddy) from the United States was Todd Jenkins of Fayettesville, Tennessee. This prayer from his ongoing blog touched … Continue reading →

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Blessings … for walking, Medevac, infertility, chemotherapy … blessings

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Maren

On Mondays I am posting prayers from the new book From the Psalms to the Cloud — Connecting to the Digital Age (Mankin and Tirabassi, Pilgrim Press, 2013,  just last week available on Nook as well as Kindle … it … Continue reading →

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Zebedee (portrait of the original empty-netter)

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Maren

I made sure they were menders of nets — my two boys, grown men now, but still as impulsive as their younger selves. They were fonder of practicing their great strong casts, spun wide and high as spiral galaxies and … Continue reading →

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It Ain’t Easy Being Liberal — Reflection on the United Church of Canada

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Maren

R. Matthew Stevens, an ordained clergyperson within the United Church of Canada, now retired from active ministry, gives a vivid and unsettling picture of the current state of the United Church of Canada. What he has to say certainly is … Continue reading →

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Prayers for living with the Internet — From the Psalms to the Cloud

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Maren

On Mondays I have been posting small samples of prayers found in the new book From the Psalms to the Cloud – Connecting to the Digital Age. (Mankin and Tirabassi, The Pilgrim Press) Of course, there are a number of … Continue reading →

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Gloss on John 1: 43-51

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Maren

Tomorrow’s lectionary passage ends with verse 22, but I have always been fond of the story that follows, the one about Philip and Nathaniel … It’s stirred not shaken, some kind of anti-martini — this famous “follow-me” call. It’s not … Continue reading →

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Light to the Nations — Epiphany News from Republic of Georgia

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Maren

Often I post here news from the Republic of Georgia sent by Archbishop Malkhaz Songulashvili. This simple news story shared by him from Christmas day reminds me of the power of that small manger birth to change the world. Such … Continue reading →

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Short prayers of intercession … school child, food court worker … From the Psalms to the Cloud

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Maren

On Mondays I am posting prayers from the new book From the Psalms to the Cloud — Connecting to the Digital Age (Mankin and Tirabassi, Pilgrim Press, 2013,  just last week available on Kindle). There are many short intercessions in … Continue reading →

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New question for the service of ordination (Isaiah 42: 1-9)

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Maren

Are you willing to be a bruised reed or a dimly burning wick? You are going to be mugged by Christmas or committees or colleagues, and run headlong into immovable objects – ouch, and if the doubts don’t snuff you, … Continue reading →

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Positive Ten Commandments from Argentina

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Maren

Gerardo Oberman of Argentina takes the Ten Commandments, written in stone and often treated like religious wallpaper, and re-casts them as positive statements! What good words for the new year’s beginning. Reading this interpretation helps us understand the original more … Continue reading →

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