(Message given at Wayside Friends Church on April 19, 2026) My family moved from California to Oregon in the fall of 1981, right before I started 8th grade. I weirdly have a really strong memory of when we came to Oregon to look for a …
Read MoreExamination and Repentance
(Message given at Wayside Friends Church on March 29, 2026) Today is Palm Sunday, and it is also the last Sunday of Lent. A couple of weeks ago I was driving to work and the Pray-As-You-Go podcast I listen to was leading us through one …
Read MoreCultivating Hope
(Message given at Wayside Friends Church on June 1, 2025) Those who have known me for awhile know that I have a tendency to use illustrations from the Lord of the Rings when I speak. Because of my reputation, I have tried to break out …
Read MoreStrength to live out values
(Message given at Wayside Friends Church on July 7, 2024) I choose to let the bible be authoritative in my life. That phrase may be triggering for some, but I’ve been thinking about what I mean when I say that phrase, versus how American Churchianity …
Read MoreExpanding Your Circle
(Message given at Wayside Friends Church on April 30, 2023) Steve Sherwood likes to draw attention/tease me about how much I enjoyed high school as a Clackamas Cavalier. And it’s true, I did; and it’s true, it’s not normal, and definitely is worthy of being …
Read MoreLittle Communities
(Message given December 18, 2022 at Wayside Friends Church) How do we look honestly at this world, and still find God’s work of hope? If you follow me online during this advent season, you may question whether I am truly looking for hope, because I …
Read MoreFully Human
(Message given at Wayside Friends Church on Feb. 28, 2021) What are you known for? One of the things I’m known for is popping off in the chat of video calls, so feel free to use the chat to hijack everyone’s attention from this message …
Read MoreIncarnation
(Message given at Wayside Friends Church on December 22, 2019) The song of the season I want to launch from tonight is actually just a part of a stanza from “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th’incarnate deity; pleased, …
Read MoreThree Legs on a Broken Stool
Since this is my spiritual retreat, I’ve been focusing on sites that reflect my own Christian spirituality. I’m finding vast micro-worlds to explore, each with its own long history, tradition, values, and emphases. What is it I’m looking for? That’s a fair question, and I …
Read MoreThrough the Roof
Disruption. Annoyance. Invasion. Before Sunday night, I had never thought those words in regard to one of the stories of Jesus…and now I can’t stop thinking about it that way. It’s my friend and pastor Elizabeth’s fault. The story is in Mark chapter 2. Some …
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