News

July 6, 2022

“Carpets, Clothing, Little Drops of Water” Jun. 24, 2022

As I watched UCN folks clear the sanctuary for the laying of the new carpet (thank you, thank you!), I thought about a few typos from church bulletins that I […]
May 31, 2022

“Success vs. Significance–and Donkeys” Apr. 29, 2022

The African-American preacher and author, the Rev. William Sloan Coffin, once said: “We don’t have to be ‘successful,’ only valuable. We don’t have to make money, only a difference…” Yet […]
March 30, 2022

“An April Fool’s Birthday” Mar. 25, 2022

My birthday is March 31st–the day before April Fool’s Day. In fact, when someone asks me when my birthday is, I usually say “the day before April Fool’s”–since it’s a […]
March 8, 2022

“Humility and Ash Wednesday” Mar. 8, 2022

Just over a week ago was Ash Wednesday, a day I remember as a time to be humble. The priest would put ashes on people's...
February 1, 2022

“Chicken or Lamb?” Jan. 29, 2022

Some of you may remember my sermon on "The God I Believe In" (delivered on December 12, 2021). In it I referred to a Jewish concept--"tikkun olam," which means "repair of the world."...
January 4, 2022

“Unintended Humor” Dec. 31, 2021

Every once in a while I have shared actual typos from church newsletters and bulletins in my Northliner column. Not all of them are technically typographical, of course--some are simply words...
December 7, 2021

“Much Obliged, Lord” Dec. 3, 2021

By the time you read this, Thanksgiving will have come and gone. But, since it’s important to give thanks on more than one day a year, I thought I’d include […]
November 23, 2021

“Holiday Graces” Nov. 19, 2021

Normally I write a Parson to Person column to be printed on the last Friday of one month, and the first Friday of the month following. But since the last […]
November 8, 2021

“A Cellphone, an Airport, a Good Deed, and Politics” Nov. 5, 2021

In last week’s “Parson to Person” I wrote about my visit with my family in the Seattle area, and how we “overcame” political disputes with games and small talk. There […]