Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places— Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ! “Who will celebrate Christmas correctly?” This was a question asked by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, celebrated German pastor and theologian who stood up to Hitler and the takeover of the German church, and lost his life doing so in the waning days of WWII. When Bonhoeffer speaks, I do my best to put everything else aside and listen. I didn’t know, though, we had to celebrate Christmas correctly. It was never right or wrong growing up and growing older. It had always been about family and carols and Christmas Eve services and candles and gifts. Right?

Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places— Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ! I want to be lifted up on butterfly wings. The Rev. Dr. Mary Kuhns, Parish Associate for Pastoral Care, Presbyterian pastor, youth minister, chaplain, Associate for Justice for Women for the Presbyterian Church (USA), licensed therapist, teacher, inclusive language advocate, singer at nursing homes, lover of dogs and cars and people. Mary, who helped start the Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) Program, who sat at hospital bedsides and listened to our stories, and played the ukulele… I could go on and on. You probably could as well. Mary died November 24th, after a somewhat brief illness and hospital stay. ...

Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places: Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ! When has the Church ever been out in front? Right now, actually.  Each year Christianity gets a head start on the new year with Advent, our New Year, beginning at midnight this morning, exactly one month before the world catches up with its own. So what shall we do with this month grace period?  Work harder, comes to mind.  Get better at being church?  Nice. Do more?  Surely.  Go more places?  Why not?  But honestly, these words don’t feel right and sound exhausting the more I repeat them.  Such a pace may be what the culture does, but no, not us, not right now.

Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places: Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ! “It reminds me of when the Israelites were caught between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea . . .” I am part of a monthly Clergy Spiritual Direction group in Albuquerque where four of us, sometimes five, share the challenges and joys of being pastors, under the care of a psychologist/spiritual director who is accustomed to lives like ours.  It has been an amazing and supportive group for more than a decade. This past week we talked about the election and what it might mean going forward.  It was here when my colleague finished his sentence: “. . . and God told the people to keep still.”

Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places: Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ! These days of uncertainty have me scrambling for insights and wisdom.  A few days ago, quite by accident, I found it in some of the oldest words, if not the oldest, in Scripture:  Miriam’s Song in Exodus 15:20-21.

Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing.

Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places: Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ! Let us be the church today. I woke up in darkness this morning, after a fitful night, to the news that our world has changed.  Now I do not presume to know how you are feeling right now.  If you are fine with the election results I welcome the invitation to talk with you and the vision you voted for.  We all need to be in conversation.

Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places: Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ! What if we took All Saints Day seriously? Oh, I know we do already.  It is one of my favorite services as we celebrate those who have died in the past year and lift up their names in the midst of singing.  How meaningful and important this is.  We will do so tomorrow in our one worship service at 10 am.  No, what I mean is, what if we took seriously the meaning behind All Saints Day and acted upon it?

Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ! My mom gave me a dime to give away. I was five, it was Sunday morning, I was probably running late again, and as I raced out the back door to cross the alley to church, my mom gave me a dime. “Now remember to put this in the offering plate when you get to Sunday School,” she told me.  I said I would, and I did.  Every Sunday. Mom gave me a dime to give to the church which would then be given to someone else...

Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places: Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ! Jesus sends before him seventy of his followers into every town and place (Luke 10:1-12).  This is the first time in the gospels we go first. Here’s why I would go: My earliest memories have church in them. Magical Christmas Eve services.  Running around the church feeling it was my second home.  Sliding under the pews. Being surrounded by people who always smiled at me. ...

Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places: Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ! Blessings upon our animal companions.  Greta was a miniature black and tan dachshund who joined the family as a six-month old when I was nine.  She had a crooked tail, never chased a stick or a ball, didn’t play with toys and spent most of her life under a blanket, along with being a steadfast companion to grandpa who wasn’t well and needed someone like her.  Thank you, Greta, for being different than your average dog and the ways you blessed grandpa’s life, and my own.