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About Susan J. Foster
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Blog postI have no words.
I have nothing to say after the murders in Uvalde, after the racist killings in Buffalo, in response to the ongoing grief and loss in Ukraine.
There are enough people talking. A lot of people making noise that sounds like “never again,” but without any accompanying action.
There are many people who say that this is unpreventable, unstoppable, inevitable.
There are some people who are offering profound, heartfelt prayers and tender words t -
Blog postI think we can all agree – we live in overwhelming times. The relentless pursuit of the Corona virus in all of its variations, the ongoing war in Ukraine, climate change and reports of evaporating lakes, wildfires, and warming oceans. There is seemingly endless division and conflict amongst our political leaders that trickles down to infect local and state governments. Prices are up. Shortages are growing. Rents are climbing. Affordable housing is difficult to find. Racist violence is rampant
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Blog postMy recent trip to Scotland provided gorgeous scenery, unusually sunny weather, moving and thought-provoking worship, an opportunity to live and learn with the Iona Community, and the delights of scones, shortbread, and endless cups of tea. But even more than that – it allowed me to spend 10 uninterrupted days with my best friend.
Patti and I grew up within a mile of one another and participated in everythin -
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Blog postAs you read this, I am preparing to travel to the island of Iona in Scotland, which is famously known as a “thin place.” Thin places have nothing to do with weight loss. A thin place is defined in Celtic Christianity as one of “those rare locales where the distance between heaven and Earth collapses.” In other words, a place where the presence of God is readily experienced or a place where one is more aware that very little separates us f
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Blog postWe will begin our celebration of Advent on Sunday. In our congregation, uur Advent theme this year is “Housing the Holy.” Christmas begins with the familiar story of Jesus’ parents searching for a place to stay at this critical moment in their lives. We have only the barest description of their plight; we are told simply that “there was no room for them at the inn” (Luke 2:7). We can only imagine the fear, worry, and concern they experienced as they sought for a place for Mary to give b
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Blog post“Enough is a feast.”
I’ve been mulling over this saying all month. It’s hard to focus on “enough” when ads are blaring about Black Friday shopping frenzies which somehow have expanded to a month-long event. Or when Christmas trees seem to be sprouting everywhere, as if the calendar somehow skipped November and we are on an express train from Halloween to Christmas with no time for Thanksgiving in between.
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Blog post“Our church no longer holds a Christmas Fair,” this minister/colleague sniffed, “Instead we concentrate on the real work of the church.”
And to that I say, “Bah, humbug!”
I know that selling Christmas knickknacks isn’t the mission of the church. More important – so do the members of my congregation.
But in these days leading up to our Holly Fair, our church has been filled with sounds of people talking and laughing as they create displays and sort through ornamen -
Blog postCan I admit it? There are days when I feel a little discouraged. There are times when I am weary and unsure that my efforts and the dedicated work of the church are making even a dent in the myriad of challenges facing us today. There are moments when the angry voices and ugly violence that fill the news cause me to despair that we will ever experience God’s peace or come close to God’s loving justice.
The wisdom of Proverbs whispers to me, “Trust in the Lord wit -
Blog postWhen I was on sabbatical, I bought a handbag with the word “grateful” on it. I am not much of a shopper. I can usually talk myself out of almost any purchase (much to my children’s disappointment as they were growing up). But the bag’s simple message spoke to me. It defined my prevailing mood throughout my sabbatical. For the entire four months I was away, I experienced gratitude.
I was grateful for
Time to rest. When people ask what I did during sabbatical, I am -
Blog postMy congregation and I are about to embark on the very special experience of “sabbatical.” What is sabbatical, you may ask?
A sabbatical is a time to step back and experience something new. The tradition of sabbatical is grounded in the Bible when God gives these instructions, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. For
Titles By Susan J. Foster
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