A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more. ~ Matthew 2:18 I read those words aloud from the pulpit once a year, on Christmas Eve: a night when we celebrate the birth of hope and possibility and...

Spirit of Life, Source of all, to this beautiful place to this hallowed time and in the midst of this kindred company we bring hearts broken yet again by senseless violence....

Spirit of Life and Love, Shaken by sorrow We wonder why We wonder how Humans can find it within themselves To destroy life That exists also within them. Together we grieve the injustice Of lives cut short by hate Of survivors touched by terror And we stand firm in life Knowing that only love can...

Source of all, This is my third attempt at a prayer. The first two revealed to me that I am angry, which I didn’t realize until I just couldn’t bend those prayers into what I thought they should be. What is wrong with us, how can we be so depraved and cruel, how is it we do not learn, how can we...

Spirit of Hope, God of Many Names, Source of Love, We gather, hearts heavy with grief for our neighbors in Paris, in Beirut, in Baghdad; all cities victimized by terrorists. We pray for the victims, for the families, for the communities marred by chaos and hatred. May they have the resources they...

Any time, Friday evening, Sunday morning, Monday afternoon Any place, Paris Beirut Baghdad West Bank Chad Cameroon Lebanon Syria Somalia Sinai Charleston Any number, 132 19 2 43 1 228 10 Fear invites new participants to its dance of death But every time, In every place, Numbers beyond counting ri...

Today, we bow our heads in recognition of the great service and sacrifice some have been asked to make. Living through the horror that is war, facing death or physical harm as a spectre looming around any corner, we say “thank you,” and know it will never be enough. Help us to embrace those we...

Spirit of Life, Spirit of Love, Spirit of Generosity, As we draw near to that quiet essential side of ourselves, may we open enough to consider the sacred choices we make each minute, each hour, each day that add up to a lifetime. Let us become aware that here is the place to be forgiven, and to...

Spirit of Love and Power, we are gathered today in beloved community that we might manifest in our lives the values and truths that we hold dear. Let us rejoice that we are together for this time is holy time, the transformation we seek is holy work, and the bonds that hold us together are sacred.

In our reckless yearning to be safe, we turn again and again away from the blessed security of having nowhere left to hide. Give us the courage to lay ourselves bare. Amen.

For all who die in war We lift up our hearts For all who live in suffering in the aftermath of violence We lift up our hearts For all who give their lives in smoke and flame We lift up our hearts For all who go on in honor of the dead We lift up our hearts For all who have served We lift up our...

O God of many names, the personal and mysterious, We have come to a quiet time, an interior place, a place for the deepening of spirit, the enrichment of soul. We seek to know ourselves by knowing you....

As we begin to settle to a deeper more inward place; to be fully present right now in this place made for head and heart together; we might begin to feel how our own bodies are not only flesh and blood — but skeleton bones as well. No matter how old we are, no matter how we move from place to...

Under the wide sky, upon this earth the feet will dance of children stretching, swinging, leaping in joy, challenging themselves with new achievements as the years go by. Memory of goodness is made in such moments as this place will bring. May those who play here feel cared for and filled with life.

As we attempt to walk responsibly on this planet, we need perspective. If we hope to make a difference, we need a place from which to act. What are the Buddhist insights that can make our lives deeper and more productive? This is the purpose of zazen and koans: I walk down to the corner store and...

We gather this afternoon, under this sky with these clouds and sun, connecting with this earth, which nourishes and supports us, to dedicate this natural playground. New things need to be recognized and appreciated – that’s what we do with a dedication. To dedicate means to set something aside...

We, all of us, build houses for our dreams.. The masonry and lumber, glass and tiles, A solid form, wherein we see our hopes, A shelter and protection for our growth....

In the spirit of community and a sense of purpose in our ministry: Let us commence the discovery of our strengths, our concerns, our grief and our joy. Let this journey be one of love, authenticity and reverence....

God of many names and mystery beyond all our naming, Our time together today is a precious gift. We gather in the name of justice in love and service to a higher good. We gather in hope for a world where oppression of any kind is challenged. We gather to spark the fire of commitment lit in every...

The familiar can be delicate for the innocent, and too often suddenly lost and destroyed: homes and roads and neighborhoods or simply the sense of security which makes a place feel like it’s yours like it’s a place to stay. For so many reasons, people depart. They seek refuge from a thousand...