By Joanna Lawrence Shenk, upon return from a six week sabbatical. I must begin with gratitude – and it’s hard to put into words because I feel like my heart is overflowing. It is such a gift to have you all as a community, affirming the value of sabbaticals and helping to make them happen. …
By Joanna Lawrence Shenk Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 Last Sunday Sheri exhorted us to claim the authority of compassion as followers of Jesus who are committed to personal and societal transformation. Compassion is not a sentimental pity for those deemed less fortunate. It means to “suffer with” or as Sheri said “to be moved in your…
By Sheri Hostetler and Joanna Lawrence Shenk This is the third in an Eastertide mini-series called “Rewilding Jesus” that unearths fun and feral images/ideas about Jesus, the Jewish prophet deeply rooted in his place and his community and undomesticated by Empire. The kindom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seed in a…
by Joanna Lawrence Shenk This is the second in an Eastertide mini-series called “Rewilding Jesus” that unearths fun and feral images/ideas about Jesus, the Jewish prophet deeply rooted in his place and his community and undomesticated by Empire. John 1:1-5 I confess that given all the bad Christian theology and biblical interpretation out there, I’ve…
by Joanna Lawrence Shenk Matthew 21:1-11 As a congregation located in San Francisco we are very familiar with the experience of public parades and marches, yeah?? They happen all the time around here. Let’s just name some of them: Pride, Trans march, Dyke march, Carnaval parade, Chinese New Year, Ceasar Chavez, MLK march, Climate justice…
By Joanna Lawrence Shenk This is the second sermon in our Lenten series, “Fully Alive: Living as Warrior, Monk and Mystic.” It is followed by a reflection by Kenda Host, a member of our congregation, on identifying with the warrior archetype. Ephesians 6:10-20 Draw your strength from the Spirit of Life within and all around…
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