There and Back Again: Holy, Holy, Holy

Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows. Chicago. 2009. Sunday Flooding Sunday in church I cried. It wasn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last, I don’t think. But this past Sunday, as our congregation sang “Holy, Holy, Holy,” tears rolled down my face as if I were chopping onions. Or grieving. I was […]


A Chance to Choose Joy

Birthday Girls: Heather, Rachael, Laura. September 25, 2011. Mourning and Dancing On September 25, our beautiful daughter-in-law Rachael celebrated her 29th birthday (honest!). Her parents hosted a party at their home.  Our initial plan for the day had been:  Go to church. Go to the cemetery. Go to Rachael’s party. In 2006, Rachael was widowed […]


The Missing Soprano and the Body of Christ

Trabuco Canyon Community Church. Standing in the Gap On a recent Sunday morning our trio of worship leaders was only a duo. Sue sat at the piano, Don stood at the mic, tuning his guitar–but Amy, whose lovely soprano weaves its way around Don’s steady baritone, was absent.  It happened to be September 11. And […]


The Missing Soprano and the Body of Christ

Trabuco Canyon Community Church. Standing in the Gap On a recent Sunday morning our trio of worship leaders was only a duo. Sue sat at the piano, Don stood at the mic, tuning his guitar–but Amy, whose lovely soprano weaves its way around Don’s steady baritone, was absent.  It happened to be September 11. And […]


The Missing Soprano and the Body of Christ

Trabuco Canyon Community Church. Standing in the Gap On a recent Sunday morning our trio of worship leaders was only a duo. Sue sat at the piano, Don stood at the mic, tuning his guitar–but Amy, whose lovely soprano weaves its way around Don’s steady baritone, was absent.  It happened to be September 11. And […]