Gathering In Light

Quotations

Detachment by Anthony de Mello

DETACHMENT by Anthony de Mello “The only way to change is by changing your understanding. But what does it mean to understand? How do we go about it? Consider how we’re enslaved by various attachments; we’re striving to rearrange the world so that we can keep these attachments,

The Pastorate

Are You Still Here? Thoughts on Leave-Taking

After telling a friend of mine that my family and I would be leaving the NW in a few months for a job change, she offered solid wisdom I have hung onto: “Do your best to pay attention to everything that is happening around, the emotions, the reactions, the people

Blog Entries

Think with Paper & Pencil 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMAm3QkhxaU&ct=t(Rohdesign_Newsletter_RSS_4_2_2015)&mc_cid=acabb97213&mc_eid=d2e782b1af Even though this is basically an infomercial on paper for iPad, I like what they bring up about the importance of thinking visually. Also, I do

Quotations

Edward Abbey on Living

My friend Greg Woods reminded me of this quote today, which is really quite amazing: One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am – a reluctant enthusiast….a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and

Featured

Convergent Model of Renewal: Discussion Guide and Sketchnotes (Intro & Chp. 1)

We have started a discussion group at Camas Friends Church to discuss my book, A Convergent Model of Renewal. I will post the sketchnotes and  discussion questions here each week for anyone who would like to download them and use them. Feel free to share and dispense however that makes

Featured

Avoiding the Default Position (John 21:1-14)

“That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for

Featured

The Gift of Thomas (John 20)

“But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in

Blog Entries

Exploring a Rhythm of Life, Creativity, and Leadership from the Quaker Tradition with Rhett Smith

Rhett Smith Podcast 6: Exploring a Rhythm of Life, Creativity, and Leadership from the Quaker Tradition — with Theologian, Professor and Writer, Wess Daniels. Rhett and I became friends at Fuller Seminary when I was working on my Masters in Theology and he was working on his Masters in Family Therapy.

Blog Entries

Our Big News About Guilford College

This was recently posted to Guilford College’s website: C. Wess Daniels has been named the William R. Rogers Director of Friends Center and Quaker Studies, succeeding Max Carter, who will retire this summer after 25 years at Guilford. Wess has been a full-time Quaker minister, educator, researcher and public

Featured

Meeting for Readings and How to Do Them

Mikel Birkel’s book “Engaging Scripture” Reading the Bible with Early Friends,” is a fantastic book that is helpful not just for Quakers but for anyone looking for different ways of reading Scripture (inwardly, meditatively, together, lectio, for transformation, etc.). It’s a book we’ve used in a variety

Blog Entries

Upcoming Agenda for Greensboro Visit

Guilford College is flying me out to Greensboro, NC next week (March 27-April 1) to be their “Judith Weller Harvey Scholar” and to do some speaking around the area. I’m looking forward to visiting with f/Friends, having a little time away with my wife, Emily, who is joining

Uncategorized

Snakes on a pole or The Rut That I Love (John 3:13-21)

“And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not

Prayers

A Prayer from Dorothy White

“You are the branches of the true Vine, you Spouses of the Beloved, you Daughters of [Zion] and Sons of Jacob…let the tribulated [rejoice] and sing, let the poor in spirit be glad; let them that dwell in the Valleys [rejoice], who drink of the Springs of the Fountain

Featured

Jesus, God’s Wrath and the Merchants of Truth (John 2)

“In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and

Featured

The Truth of Becoming (Mark 8)

“…He asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he sternly ordered

Reviews

‘I Am Continually With You’ : A Review of L. Callid Keefe-Perry’s “Way to Water: A Theopoetics Primer”

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js Church services are poetry from beginning to end; they just are poetry. …Religion is serious poetry — which is not to say religion cannot be light- hearted. But at its highest it turns important; and important involvement with language, use of language for significant

Blog Entries

A Convergent Model of Renewal is Ready for Order

My first book to be published is printed and ready for order. You can order it directly from the publisher and received a 20% discount off the retail price. The book will be available as an e-book and through local bookstores, Amazon and other services in the next 3-6 weeks.

Featured

Is the Empire Striking Back? (Mark 1)

“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You

Uncategorized

The Green of Renewal

The book cover is in so that means that we’ve very close to printing! Stay tuned. You can also visit the book page for more information.

Featured

Sketchnotes for Nursery of Truth

These are the sketchnotes from my recent message “The Nursery of Truth” based on John 15. I’ve been using this much larger size of paper and loving how much I can fit onto one page. I like this approach because it helps to get the whole picture. Once I

Quotations

‘it defines itself in terms of the growing edge’ -H. Thurman

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ reminds us once again of the penalty which any highly organized society exacts of those who violate its laws. The social resistors fall into two general groups – those who resist the established order by doing the things that are in opposition to accepted standards of

Featured

The Nursery of Truth (John 15)

From the very beginning of the Quaker movement, Friends have liked asking questions. Part of this is because they got rid of the creeds, and something need to take their place. So they used queries. We could have t-shirts made up that says something like “The church of questions.” (Q:

Teaching

Convers(at)ions in Community: On Creating Space for Dialogue Around the Sermon

This is a third post in a series of reflections on the nature of dialogue and transformation, or “convers(at)ion” as I am referring to it as for a little playfulness (see a and b). These are some ideas of how we try to inhabit some of the ideas

Featured

The Taste of Truth (John 18:33-38)

“Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate asked him, “What is

Blog Entries

3 Reasons I Love to Blog

“I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.” -Flannery O’Connor /ht color turtle I’ve been following John Saddington’s 10 day blog challenge as a means of both getting into the groove of writing more and developing my site here.