A creative collaboration between Trinity United Methodist Church and Sellwood Faith Community

The season of Advent began on Sunday.  This is a time in the church year when we train ourselves to look for the times that God breaks in to the world.  Of course we remember back to the first Christmas when God came as a vulnerable baby.  This is one...

As I prepare to host my first Thanksgiving,  I'm reflecting on all the reasons in my life to be thankful.  One of those is my work.   I realize so clearly how lucky we are to be able to engage in this new start ministry.  Jeff and I had been...

Several years ago Jeff and I needed to buy a new doormat.  He found a nice simple one with the word welcome written in a curly script across the surface.  "Nope." I said.  "Vampires." He replied.  You see Jeff knew that my favorite tv show was...

I volunteer at my daughter's school every Thursday and often I get to do fun things like work with kiddos in a reading group or decorate the bulletin board.  Most of my day is full of boring, but manageable tasks like copying, laminating, and cutting....

This work that we do is slow and full of disappointment.  One thing I've been obsessing about lately is a couple who came to somethings, but who are clearly not engaging.  I find myself dwelling on them and wondering what I could have done differently to...

Not only am I serving as a new start pastor with the Sellwood Faith Community, but I also get to serve an existing congregation half time.  This is a lovely group of folks who are trying to discern God's call for their future.  Recently we had a good...

When I was a nonprofit manager our executive director wold always ask what would happen if we got hit by a Mack truck.  He wanted to make sure that each of our departments weren’t becoming silos of singular responsibility. If the critical services we provided...

Last week I got to spend three intense, lively, inspiring, challenging, and fun days with my colleagues.  We heard one another's stories, competed for one another's fabulous home made items in a silent auction benefiting Imagine No Malaria, ate delicious food,...

Many years ago Jeff and I led an emerging worship experience.  We worshiped every week and used movie clips, all sorts of music, visuals, and interactive elements to create a place where people had an experience of God.  At first Jeff and I did everything....

As part of a wellness challenge coordinated by my Pilates instructor Anne I've began meditating every day.  The first week our mantra was "I have all the love and support I need."  The very first day I set the timer on my phone for 5 minutes, only to have it...