The blog of the Rev. Sylvia Stocker
I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like to be a Muslim in America now. The national hatred borne on the airwaves, through social media, and from person-to-person threats and insults must be horrible. My heart goes out to the children especially and also to refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers who may have […]
Solidarity with the Muslim Community Read More »
This month the Sunday School is taking up the topic of “journey.” Long ago, when I was five, my family took a three-week trip out west: my parents, my two older brothers, the family dog, and me traveling in the Ford Edsel station wagon. We saw all kinds of wonders: Yellowstone National Park, the Rocky
Some years ago, I served on a six-person jury to determine the fate of a man accused of driving under the influence. The judge appointed me “forelady” of the jury – his choice of words, not mine. (As in, “Madam Forelady, has the jury reached a verdict?” Yes, the judge really did ask me that
Driving Under the Influence Read More »
After our animal blessing service on October 5, many people asked me copy for my dog psalm. Here it is — the psalm my dog Cinnamon wrote, channeling it through me, while I was in seminary. Psalm 1* A Psalm of Dog. (c) 2000 Cinnamon Stocker Alpha Dog is my boss, I shall not want.
Violent Metaphors in Common Parlance As the anniversary of Sandy Hook draws near — and as I witness an ongoing rash of gun-related violence in our culture — I have been thinking about violent metaphors in everyday language. When I recently tried to collect some of them, I quickly found over 80 commonly used phrases,
Violent Metaphors in Everyday Paralance Read More »
World Series Champs My father was born in 1918, just a few months before the Boston Red Sox won the World Series. A tiny baby, he couldn’t appreciate that sweet victory, but he carried a deep love for the Red Sox for his entire life. Most of the time, he watched the games on television.
World Series Champs Read More »
Sumac Leaves A few weeks ago I passed a stand of sumac bushes on my walk. Something about the way the sun struck the leaves maximized their brilliance. Deep reds offset by lustrous yellows and oranges filled me with awe. I stopped to take it all in, regretting I didn’t have my camera with me.
Autumn Reflection Fall seems to be taking its own sweet time falling this year. I still have a yellow lily blooming in my yard long after the frosts should be well behind us. Still, I feel my body, heart, and mind settling in for the darker season. Some changes are already apparent. The hours of
In the buildup to a possible military strike against Syria, Rev. Stocker considers both the Just War theory and an emerging new theory: Just Peacemaking.
Agnus Dei This year, as the organizing theme for Music Sunday, the Worship Committee chose perseverance – especially in the face of transitions. Certainly our congregation is in transition. And we have persevered, continuing the work of our church in our changed and challenging circumstances. Here is a story about music and perseverance. In my
Agnus Dei — Perseverence Read More »
