by Kent M French, June 19, 2025
REMINDER: This Sunday, June 22, worship is at 10am in Willett Hall, followed directly by our All-Parish Meeting. Agenda here. If you haven’t turned in your pledge form, it will help us immensely if you do that before Sunday. More info here. When you enter a church, you can usually tell if the Holy Spirit is alive in the place. I am grateful and happy to say that week after week, month after month, year after year, the Spirit is alive and kicking at United Parish — in our music, in our programs, in our collective life. Where Her… Read More
by Amy Norton-Benfield, June 12, 2025
I love a well-researched TV show. For example, did you know that the set of The West Wing was so accurate that it was closed to studio tours for security reasons? It’s extra awesome when a fantasy show is well-researched. I love the show Wheel of Time (haven’t gotten around to reading the books yet) for that reason. As a religion nerd, I love noticing the different theologies, cultures, customs, and histories that the author has clearly drawn from. If you are planning to watch/read Wheel of Time, caution: spoilers ahead! In Wheel of Time there is a long-prophesied figure,… Read More
by Kent M French, June 05, 2025
During Eastertide (April 20-June 8), we are discerning how God wants each of us to work and serve in the world AND discerning our pledges of time, talent, and money that we will make to serve and contribute to our collective ministry in the year ahead. Here is our mantra for the season: • God has given me a gift of my own. • I don’t have to do it all. • We have what we need. • Using my gifts is filled with joy! This Sunday is Consecration Sunday, when we will dedicate our time, talent, and financial pledges… Read More
by Amy Norton-Benfield, May 29, 2025
During Eastertide (April 20-June 8), we are discerning how God wants each of us to work and serve in the world AND discerning our pledges of time, talent, and money that we will make to serve and contribute to our collective ministry in the year ahead. Here is our mantra for the season: • God has given me a gift of my own. • I don’t have to do it all. • We have what we need. • Using our gifts is filled with joy. This Sunday, we’re taking a moment to celebrate and acknowledge those in our midst who… Read More
by Anna Jeide-Detweiler, May 21, 2025
During Eastertide (April 20-June 8), we are discerning how God wants each of us to work and serve in the world AND discerning our pledges of time, talent, and money that we will make to serve and contribute to our collective ministry in the year ahead. Here is our mantra for the season: • God has given me a gift of my own. • I don’t have to do it all. • We have what we need. • Using our gifts is filled with joy. “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime you’ll find, you… Read More
by Kent M French, May 15, 2025
During Eastertide (April 20-June 8), we are discerning how God wants each of us to work and serve in the world AND discerning our pledges of time, talent, and money that we will make to serve and contribute to our collective ministry in the year ahead. Here is our mantra for the season: • God has given me a gift of my own. • I don’t have to do it all. • We have what we need. • Using our gifts is filled with joy. Sometimes when we read from the letters of the New Testament, I think, “you know,… Read More
by Anna Jeide-Detweiler, May 08, 2025
During Eastertide (April 20-June 8), we are discerning how God wants each of us to work and serve in the world AND discerning our pledges of time, talent and money that we will make to serve and contribute to our collective ministry in the year ahead. Here is our mantra for the season: “God has given me a gift of my own. I don’t have to do it all. We have what we need. Using our gifts is filled with joy.” This week, we are focusing on the first part: “God has given me a gift of my own.” Last… Read More
by Amy Norton-Benfield, May 01, 2025
During Eastertide (April 20-June 8), we are talking about discerning how God wants each of us to work and serve in the world. We are also discerning the pledges of time, talent and money we will make to serve and contribute to our collective ministry in the year ahead. Dear ones, A brief reminder: If you are participating in the Walk for Hunger on Sunday, please gather with us in the big church parking lot at 8:30am! Now we return to your regularly-scheduled blog post: Our Bible story this Sunday, linked here from The Message translation, is one heck of… Read More
by Amy Norton-Benfield, April 24, 2025
This winter and spring we’ve been journeying through the Gospel of Luke as we trace Jesus’ life and ministry as it led him to, and ultimately beyond, the cross. During Lent we focused on exploring how God meets us “in between” extremes, such as between lost and found, righteousness and mercy, grief and hope. Our Bible story this week depicts another encounter with Jesus, this time in between the close of Jesus’ earthly ministry and the opening of the next chapter in the life of the church. Guest preacher (and United Parish member) Kate Baker-Carr writes, “The second Sunday of… Read More
by Kent French, April 17, 2025
This Lent (March 5-April 20), we’ve followed the Sanctified Art series “Everything in Between,” an invitation to navigate the polarities in our lives, like “faith & works” or “rest & growth,” or “grief & hope.” We will continue to follow Jesus’ ministry in the Gospel of Luke and imagine together where God can meet us “in between.” In it all we acknowledge complexity in our spiritual lives, that God shows up in shades of gray, rainbow hues and everywhere in between. One of my usual tropes is that our modern media is so good at proclaiming the bad news, the things… Read More
