Friends, Greetings from the Presbyterian conference center at Zephyr Point on Lake Tahoe. I’m here for the week, teaching a class on Islam. There is a good group gathered for something called “The Zephyr Experience,” which is kind of like a mini seminary for lay-people. There are six teachers up here, at least half of whom have a relationship with MPC (the…

Friends, Before writing these words, I voted. In thirty years I have been eligible to vote, I doubt I’ve missed more than one or two opportunities to cast a ballot. I have voted for Presidents and for school board members in tiny rural districts. I have voted in person and by mail; I’ve voted in two states and in six counties. I’ve…

Friends, On Sunday afternoon I drove to Mendocino. Ordinarily, on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, we have a big family gathering that involves lots of food, usually cooked over an open fire. This year was a bit different: my eldest brother and my youngest sister had a gig that night, singing duets down at the Mendocino Odd Fellows Hall. My siblings…

Dear Friends, On Tuesday afternoon, just before I sat down to write my weekly column for Contact a group of MPC folks got together to look at the church calendar for the next year, and I have come away from that meeting with some good news and some bad news for the Montclair Presbyterian Church family. I’ll start with the bad news:…

Friends, According to the traditions of the Church calendar, this coming Sunday is Trinity Sunday, a day I love because I love the Trinity. Not only is the Trinity comprised of “The Three Men I Admire Most” (to quote a song), but the doctrine of the Trinity is a belief that connects Christians to the divine mystery of God. Or at least…

Friends, Back in March, my friend Geoff Browning paid a visit to MPC to preach and to talk to us about what it might look like for our congregation to consider self-identifying as a “Peace Church”, a designation that would recognize our congregation’s historic commitment to peacemaking, and opposition to America’s various and ongoing wars. A peace church designation might also allow…

Friends, As a rule I don’t do much to promote the celebration of Mothers’ Day in the Church, because I am mindful of the loneliness and sadness such celebrations cause those who do not have children, or who have difficult and dysfunctional relationships with their mothers. I am aware, however, that Mother’s Day began not as a way to sell greeting cards…

Friends, Here’s a confession. It’s not always easy to think of something pithy and spiritually moving and—well—pastoral in my “Pastor’s Pen” spot. Sometimes my mind goes blank, and sometimes it’s too full of different ideas competing for space on the page. The latter issue seems to have been the problem for me this week, and every time I thought maybe I was…

Before we left on our whirlwind trip to France two weeks ago, Anne and I had to confront the fact that we hadn’t finished doing everything that needed to be done before we left. For example, I never got around to making a proper packing list, which was a little stressful. I tried to make it better by reminding myself that people…

Dear Friends, I loved hearing from Rabbi Michael Lerner on Sunday. Rabbi Lerner is a person of great wisdom and insight. His words have had a profound impact on people from the streets of Berkeley to the White House, and it was a deep privilege to have him in our pulpit. One of Rabbi Lerner’s ideas that I find particularly attractive is…