Of all the people with whom I’ve worked, Rosie is someone who left a clear impression on me. If you saw Rosie on the street, you’d probably give her some extra room and avoid eye contact. But if you had the opportunity to know her, she was a kind and… Read More »From Fear to Possibility
In the early 1990’s, I moved to South Florida where I lived for about five and a half years. One of the first things I noticed was the number of cars with the same bumper sticker. Red letters on a white background simply stated: Love your neighbor. I never knew… Read More »Love Your Neighbor
I arrived at church on a Sunday morning in 1996. I was pastor of a congregation in Miami Beach. Walking in the door, a group of people asked, “Do you know about Richard?” I learned that the night before Richard, a white man in his late 30’s had been murdered.… Read More »Hatred and Violence: The Importance of Safe Communities
I’ve just returned from Oberlin College outside of Cleveland, Ohio. It was there I watched election night coverage which left me nothing less than stunned. Oberlin College: a place that served as a way-station along the Underground Railroad helping to move Southern slaves to new lives in Canada. Yes, a… Read More »Reflections on the Election by a Progressive Christian Minister
Are there times when you’ve been connected to others in a profound way? In that experience of connectedness with another, did you sense a deep, spiritual presence? In late May, I was spending a week at a Benedictine monastery for a time of rest and retreat. Sunday of that week… Read More »The Body of Christ
A calendar notification brought it to my attention. My cell phone contract will soon expire. Two years have already passed. I’ll stay will my current carrier. I know that when I sign a new contract, I can get a new phone. I’m used to the one I have. It does… Read More »Community Building in an Era of Individualized Experience
It was an invitation I didn’t expect. A representative of the Georgia Psychological Association asked if I’d be willing to speak on a panel. The topic is similar to one I see in many places: police and community relationships after Ferguson. It turns out that the person who asked me… Read More »Prejudice and the Culture of Fear
I’ve lost track of her over the years. We went to high school together, though she was in a class ahead of me. We got to be good friends in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. I have really great memories of Saundra as well as her family. She was… Read More »Community, Connection, and Compassion