A confessing pilgrim…

'Tis the season for confession, at least if you observe the traditional church calendar and the season of Lent.  Some churches, like the Baptist church that I used to attend, only confess during the season of Lent.  I always felt that there was something missing from the service without that confession -- it seemed such an essential part of worship. Now, however, along my pilgrim's road, I have stopped awhile and worshiped with the community at St. Mark's Episcopal Church here on Capitol Hill.  I welcome the chance to confess in community each week, but I am particularly moved by the words of confession that they have included in the…
Read More

A turn of the season…

I must admit that I have not been as engaged this Lenten season as usual.  In fact, I have been struggling with Lent in a very different way and that has been unsettling for me.  I was concerned that the rituals had become too ritualized, that the newness of walking through the liturgical calendar had worn off, that maybe the deep richness of the past few seasons of Lenten observance had been manufactured on my part and this nothingness and discomfort was what really happened for me in the spring.  Oh yes, I've been applying myself to my study, turning my thoughts to repentance, etc. and etc., but I have clearly…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

Star-shaped pegs, round holes, and obsessions…

The Lenten season is never a particularly easy one for me...I tend to take the set-apart nature of this time very seriously, and conduct my own very intense version of the 12-step "ruthless moral inventory" to the very maximum.  Throw in a little of the type of soul-searching and relationship review that precedes the commemoration of Yom Kippur, and add a dash of my own personal intensity, and well, you can imagine what these weeks are like inside my spirit and my head.  I have always loved the Lenten season, despite its difficulties -- but not this year. Without burdening those of you who kindly read what I write with…
Read More

Tradition anchors us, but change is our birthright…

Let me repeat that statement one more time:  tradition anchors us, but change is our birthright. This sentence danced through my brain recently while I was doing my daily trudge on the elliptical trainer (you know, the 40 minute walk that goes no where fast?).   It is the summary that occurs to me after a lengthy discussion I was having with a friend, in response to his exclamation following my excitement about a Lenten study group at my church at the Stations of the Cross: "I don't know why Protestants are always trying to be so Catholic!"  I know a lot of people raised as Catholic, but now practicing Protestant. I…
Read More

A confessing pilgrim…

'Tis the season for confession, at least if you observe the traditional church calendar and the season of Lent.  Some churches, like the Baptist church that I used to attend, only confess during the season of Lent.  I always felt that there was something missing from the service without that confession -- it seemed such an essential part of worship. Now, however, along my pilgrim's road, I have stopped awhile and worshiped with the community at St. Mark's Episcopal Church here on Capitol Hill.  I welcome the chance to confess in community each week, but I am particularly moved by the words of confession that they have included in the…
Read More

A turn of the season…

I must admit that I have not been as engaged this Lenten season as usual.  In fact, I have been struggling with Lent in a very different way and that has been unsettling for me.  I was concerned that the rituals had become too ritualized, that the newness of walking through the liturgical calendar had worn off, that maybe the deep richness of the past few seasons of Lenten observance had been manufactured on my part and this nothingness and discomfort was what really happened for me in the spring.  Oh yes, I've been applying myself to my study, turning my thoughts to repentance, etc. and etc., but I have clearly…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

Star-shaped pegs, round holes, and obsessions…

The Lenten season is never a particularly easy one for me...I tend to take the set-apart nature of this time very seriously, and conduct my own very intense version of the 12-step "ruthless moral inventory" to the very maximum.  Throw in a little of the type of soul-searching and relationship review that precedes the commemoration of Yom Kippur, and add a dash of my own personal intensity, and well, you can imagine what these weeks are like inside my spirit and my head.  I have always loved the Lenten season, despite its difficulties -- but not this year. Without burdening those of you who kindly read what I write with…
Read More

Tradition anchors us, but change is our birthright…

Let me repeat that statement one more time:  tradition anchors us, but change is our birthright. This sentence danced through my brain recently while I was doing my daily trudge on the elliptical trainer (you know, the 40 minute walk that goes no where fast?).   It is the summary that occurs to me after a lengthy discussion I was having with a friend, in response to his exclamation following my excitement about a Lenten study group at my church at the Stations of the Cross: "I don't know why Protestants are always trying to be so Catholic!"  I know a lot of people raised as Catholic, but now practicing Protestant. I…
Read More

A confessing pilgrim…

'Tis the season for confession, at least if you observe the traditional church calendar and the season of Lent.  Some churches, like the Baptist church that I used to attend, only confess during the season of Lent.  I always felt that there was something missing from the service without that confession -- it seemed such an essential part of worship. Now, however, along my pilgrim's road, I have stopped awhile and worshiped with the community at St. Mark's Episcopal Church here on Capitol Hill.  I welcome the chance to confess in community each week, but I am particularly moved by the words of confession that they have included in the…
Read More

A turn of the season…

I must admit that I have not been as engaged this Lenten season as usual.  In fact, I have been struggling with Lent in a very different way and that has been unsettling for me.  I was concerned that the rituals had become too ritualized, that the newness of walking through the liturgical calendar had worn off, that maybe the deep richness of the past few seasons of Lenten observance had been manufactured on my part and this nothingness and discomfort was what really happened for me in the spring.  Oh yes, I've been applying myself to my study, turning my thoughts to repentance, etc. and etc., but I have clearly…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

Star-shaped pegs, round holes, and obsessions…

The Lenten season is never a particularly easy one for me...I tend to take the set-apart nature of this time very seriously, and conduct my own very intense version of the 12-step "ruthless moral inventory" to the very maximum.  Throw in a little of the type of soul-searching and relationship review that precedes the commemoration of Yom Kippur, and add a dash of my own personal intensity, and well, you can imagine what these weeks are like inside my spirit and my head.  I have always loved the Lenten season, despite its difficulties -- but not this year. Without burdening those of you who kindly read what I write with…
Read More

Tradition anchors us, but change is our birthright…

Let me repeat that statement one more time:  tradition anchors us, but change is our birthright. This sentence danced through my brain recently while I was doing my daily trudge on the elliptical trainer (you know, the 40 minute walk that goes no where fast?).   It is the summary that occurs to me after a lengthy discussion I was having with a friend, in response to his exclamation following my excitement about a Lenten study group at my church at the Stations of the Cross: "I don't know why Protestants are always trying to be so Catholic!"  I know a lot of people raised as Catholic, but now practicing Protestant. I…
Read More

A confessing pilgrim…

'Tis the season for confession, at least if you observe the traditional church calendar and the season of Lent.  Some churches, like the Baptist church that I used to attend, only confess during the season of Lent.  I always felt that there was something missing from the service without that confession -- it seemed such an essential part of worship. Now, however, along my pilgrim's road, I have stopped awhile and worshiped with the community at St. Mark's Episcopal Church here on Capitol Hill.  I welcome the chance to confess in community each week, but I am particularly moved by the words of confession that they have included in the…
Read More

A turn of the season…

I must admit that I have not been as engaged this Lenten season as usual.  In fact, I have been struggling with Lent in a very different way and that has been unsettling for me.  I was concerned that the rituals had become too ritualized, that the newness of walking through the liturgical calendar had worn off, that maybe the deep richness of the past few seasons of Lenten observance had been manufactured on my part and this nothingness and discomfort was what really happened for me in the spring.  Oh yes, I've been applying myself to my study, turning my thoughts to repentance, etc. and etc., but I have clearly…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

Star-shaped pegs, round holes, and obsessions…

The Lenten season is never a particularly easy one for me...I tend to take the set-apart nature of this time very seriously, and conduct my own very intense version of the 12-step "ruthless moral inventory" to the very maximum.  Throw in a little of the type of soul-searching and relationship review that precedes the commemoration of Yom Kippur, and add a dash of my own personal intensity, and well, you can imagine what these weeks are like inside my spirit and my head.  I have always loved the Lenten season, despite its difficulties -- but not this year. Without burdening those of you who kindly read what I write with…
Read More

Tradition anchors us, but change is our birthright…

Let me repeat that statement one more time:  tradition anchors us, but change is our birthright. This sentence danced through my brain recently while I was doing my daily trudge on the elliptical trainer (you know, the 40 minute walk that goes no where fast?).   It is the summary that occurs to me after a lengthy discussion I was having with a friend, in response to his exclamation following my excitement about a Lenten study group at my church at the Stations of the Cross: "I don't know why Protestants are always trying to be so Catholic!"  I know a lot of people raised as Catholic, but now practicing Protestant. I…
Read More

A confessing pilgrim…

'Tis the season for confession, at least if you observe the traditional church calendar and the season of Lent.  Some churches, like the Baptist church that I used to attend, only confess during the season of Lent.  I always felt that there was something missing from the service without that confession -- it seemed such an essential part of worship. Now, however, along my pilgrim's road, I have stopped awhile and worshiped with the community at St. Mark's Episcopal Church here on Capitol Hill.  I welcome the chance to confess in community each week, but I am particularly moved by the words of confession that they have included in the…
Read More

A turn of the season…

I must admit that I have not been as engaged this Lenten season as usual.  In fact, I have been struggling with Lent in a very different way and that has been unsettling for me.  I was concerned that the rituals had become too ritualized, that the newness of walking through the liturgical calendar had worn off, that maybe the deep richness of the past few seasons of Lenten observance had been manufactured on my part and this nothingness and discomfort was what really happened for me in the spring.  Oh yes, I've been applying myself to my study, turning my thoughts to repentance, etc. and etc., but I have clearly…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

Star-shaped pegs, round holes, and obsessions…

The Lenten season is never a particularly easy one for me...I tend to take the set-apart nature of this time very seriously, and conduct my own very intense version of the 12-step "ruthless moral inventory" to the very maximum.  Throw in a little of the type of soul-searching and relationship review that precedes the commemoration of Yom Kippur, and add a dash of my own personal intensity, and well, you can imagine what these weeks are like inside my spirit and my head.  I have always loved the Lenten season, despite its difficulties -- but not this year. Without burdening those of you who kindly read what I write with…
Read More

Tradition anchors us, but change is our birthright…

Let me repeat that statement one more time:  tradition anchors us, but change is our birthright. This sentence danced through my brain recently while I was doing my daily trudge on the elliptical trainer (you know, the 40 minute walk that goes no where fast?).   It is the summary that occurs to me after a lengthy discussion I was having with a friend, in response to his exclamation following my excitement about a Lenten study group at my church at the Stations of the Cross: "I don't know why Protestants are always trying to be so Catholic!"  I know a lot of people raised as Catholic, but now practicing Protestant. I…
Read More