On Sunday afternoon I made a video clip of youth group members feeling awkward. You might ask why they were feeling awkward, after such a hugely delicious and successful BBQ fundraiser, when they ought to have been mostly feeling proud and maybe a little bit exhausted. Well, despite having spent the whole morning cooking and serving, these youth were ready and willing…

We are back from retreat! 29 youth and 5 adults crammed into the lodge at Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center, and together we tackled racism and sexism. We used a verse from 1 John, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and…

Yes, it’s official, it’s been announced, and it’s even on social media… Michael and I are engaged. He proposed to me on a lovely hike up in Briones Regional Park last weekend. We were in a small group with two other people and two dogs, when the others mysteriously disappeared from our group, leaving the two of us alone in a gorgeously…

Comment of the day goes to the new girl. Maybe about five years old, young enough that she wanted to sit in her mom’s lap during the Godly Play story. Of course we had a bunch of kids on laps this week, whether a parent’s lap or an older sibling’s… the Godly Play circle on Easter was crowded, cozy, close, very full.…

This week in Youth Group we had a bunch of space aliens asking questions of us and trying to figure out what a “Christian” was. The youth playing the part of aliens worked hard on their questions, from “are you born a Christian?” to “if someone is really nice and does good things, does that automatically make them a Christian?” The youth…

Are you proud to be a Presbyterian? Some of you on one hand probably don’t know or care what Presbyterian means, and on the other hand some of you probably are such loyal life-long Presbyterians that you’ve never had to ask that question. Well, I’m proud to be Presbyterian, especially in a time such as this, when our national policy has just…

Do you feel “part of the family” at MPC? Whether you are a member or a friend, old-timer or new, we strive to have a community that feels like a family, where we support one another and feel comfortable together. Whether you like to be in the center of the action or prefer a quieter spot on the sidelines, we hope you…

Ben challenged me to write why football is better than baseball, but I can’t for the life of me string together any semi-intelligent statements to that effect. But I DO know what is better than baseball, and the youth group agrees with me. Quidditch. Ah, yes, that sport that Harry Potter and the Hogwarts students played while flying on broomsticks, in a…

I have to begin with thanks, looking back at the past week. I feel abundant gratitude for the many gifts of time, treasure, and talent that culminated in an expanded new Family Space, now double-sized in the two back pews of the sanctuary. What a beautiful place! Come see it this week, admire the intricate hand-made rugs from India, try out a…

Some of you know that I sing sea chanties for fun – those old work songs, made for large groups to stay together when hauling on lines – way, hey and up she rises. In fact, I am a regular at the Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco, where a monthly “sing” draws a large crowd of enthusiasts for an open sing-along…