Friends, Right now the biggest thing on my mind is the fact that we will be going back inside for celebration this coming Sunday, October 24. A return to the sanctuary has been a long time coming, but unfortunately, this doesn’t mark the end of the road for MPC’s COVID era. We will still be taking a lot of precautions and following…

Friends, I want to give you a bit of an update around plans to return indoors for celebration on Sunday Mornings. At its last meeting the reopening task force set Sunday, October 24 as the tentative date for our first Sunday in the sanctuary with the understanding that: Masks will be required, Strict social distancing protocols will be in place Efforts to…

Friends, Last week I took a vacation. Actually, these being the days of COVID, it was technically a “staycation” because I spent every night in my own bed, but on one of my staycation days I took a long drive to Lake County and back. It was a mini pilgrimage to Bo-No-Po-Ti, an island in Clear Lake that most folks today call…

Friends, This year’s church budget includes a line item for participation in the Shuumi land tax program of the Sagorea Te’ Land Trust, an urban, Indigenous, woman-led organization that facilitates the return of Indigenous land to Indigenous people. Copied below is the letter I wrote to the land trust and enclosed with our congregations’ check of support. God’s Peace, Ben PS For…

Friends, Last weekend the folks who ordinarily would organize our annual week-long church retreat we called “MPC@Tahoe” put together “MPC@MPC”, a somewhat pared down version of MPC@Tahoe that observed some of our regular traditions in a way that was COVID safe and local. It was a great event. For me, a highlight of MPC@MPC was the keynote speaker, Nancy Davis Kho, who…

Friends, For my contact article this week I am passing along something I wrote recently. I’m hoping to see this piece published somewhere, but I’m sharing it here so that you get a sneak peek. God’s Peace, Ben Afghanistan and the Futility of War By Ben Daniel One way or another, any American Christian who professes an affinity for pacifism eventually must…

The guest writer today is Suzanne Jones, Earthcare Committee Friends, Our sacred Earth is in turmoil. Climate science tells us that we must dramatically cut carbon emissions on a global scale in a few short years to prevent catastrophic runaway climate change–and that there is hope if we act quickly and boldly now! Last April, the MPC congregation adopted a “Climate Call…

Friends, On Tuesday I came to the realization that I need a better, theologically-grounded, spirituality for when things don’t work. I’m not talking about tragedy, devastation or major disaster, I just mean the kind of garden variety malfunction that can suck both time and joy from one’s life. I had ordered a new desk for my office because the desk I’ve been…

Friends, the guest writer this week is Rob Elia, MPC @Tahoe For over 40 years, the MPC community has gathered at the shores of South Lake Tahoe for a week of camaraderie, campfires, songs, games, and spiritual and personal growth. MPC@Tahoe is one of our most cherished traditions: some of us remember attending MPC’s Family Camp as kids and now look forward…

Friends, I am off celebrating my 30th wedding anniversary. Please enjoy this picture of the office kittens. KITTENS DU JOUR: