First Day of School

5th Grade, 3rd Grade, 1st Grade

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Observations on Recent Violence

When the news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination broke, many of my clergy colleagues across the country did what all good spiritual leaders do: they decried violence in all forms for all reasons.  I add my voice to this chorus.  While my social media feed is filled with pastors and Christians denouncing all violence (and advocating for gun control), I am aware some people out there are celebrating Kirk’s death.  If your social media stream is filled with people doing that, you need to find new friends.  And if you've got friends who are publicly mourning Kirk but haven't said anything about the Annunciation shooting, you also need to find new friends.   Some of my clergy colleagues also acknowledged how Kirk fueled hostility, which there is plenty of video of.   This got me thinking how I should respond. While I don’t have millions of followers, I’ve become more aware in the last two years how people are shaped by my words as a semi-public figure. ...
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Free Range Chickens

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I used to get eggs from a friend who had free range chickens in her yard.  The chickens wandered around everyday eating ticks and whatever else they found.  These chickens' eggs were so good—hard shells, dark yoke, and yummy.  I’ve never tasted a store-bought egg, even those marked “free range,” like the eggs from these truly free chickens. The United Methodist Church is a mess.  I don’t need to go into the details.  Most of you know what’s happened.  And if you don’t, a quick google search will fill you in quick.  Like most United Methodists in the US, I’m sad, especially for the pastors who identify as LGBTQI+ and pastors who are leading divided congregations.  Grief.  Frustration. Vulnerability.  It's all part of this.  I must be honest with myself too.  I’m in a safe church, which is mostly of one mind.  As a cis-gender, heterosexual woman I have a ton of privilege in how I frame the debacle of the last few week...
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Why I think Christian Nationalism is bad for Christianity. By Kelly Lamon

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My daughter, a first-time voter, said to me, “Mom, it feels really important to me that Kamala Harris wins the election.”   I replied, “I feel the same way.”   Plenty of pundits and talking heads are outlining why: the policies on her website, women’s rights, empowerment of the middle class, her message about lifting people up.   But I want to talk about a different reason.   As I Christian pastor, I’m concerned about the future of Christianity in the US due to the uprising of Christian nationalism since Trumpism took root.   It’s no surprise that as a pastor, I believe that faith really matters.   I can cite scientific research about the healing power of spirituality, point you to stories of individual transformation, and highlight the positive impact of religion on society.   Heck, I've devoted my life to sharing this good news.  But  I am also astutely aware of the damage that faithful people can do: oppression, manipulation, coercio...
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