Year A, Advent Four
Theme: Babies and Stars: Promise or Potential? Quotes Potential has a shelf lifeMargaret Atwood All we are not stares back at what we are.W. H. Auden Revised Common Lectionary Readings Isaiah 7:10-16Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19Romans 1:1-7Matthew 1:18-25 For complete texts, please see Vanderbilt Lectionary Resources: Revised Common Lectionary Texts For commentary on original texts, please see […]
Year A, Advent One
Theme: Raw and Ready Quotes A sage traveling all day is never far from the supplies in his cart, and however spectacular the views he remains calm and composed.Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching Invitation to Gather Before our eyes opened to this daynaught but darkness lay beneaththe lashes, closed, that sheltered us within the nightand let […]
We Are Light
At West Hill, one of our main “metaphors” is that of light. During our Longest Night service in December, an annual celebration that takes place on the night of the Winter Solstice and has allowed us to discontinue Christmas services, each person in attendance is given a candlewick bracelet and reminded that they are the […]
Trentham: A Hymn for My American Friends
An election night like no other The night ended late. Scott and I stumbled to bed after too many hours of the American election and hearts that were heavy with the result. We weren’t shocked. Not as shocked as some. Perhaps watching it unfold from this northern vantage point had already scared us more than […]
Half the World
West Hill was privileged to host a fundraiser this past weekend to raise money for Bangladeshi asylum seekers. The situation in Bangladesh is terrifying for secular authors and bloggers who each risk a brutal death whenever they are in public. Some have fled the country, others remain hidden. If you’d like to make a donation […]
Here All Belong
It has been months since I wrote new words to a well-loved tune but yesterday morning, three hours before the service started at West Hill United, I felt inspired to do so. It is the first song I’ve been able to write since the review of my effectiveness was initiated by The United Church of […]
Love, Again
This week opened with the wonderful news that a tumor in the lung of a much-loved friend and member of West Hill was benign. A week or so ago, as the medical diagnosis was still pending, that friend asked me to rewrite the song Amazing Grace. Since Scott has already adapted the original words for use […]
All Roads
For this Sunday, the service is looking at privilege. So my hymn writing challenge veered off in that direction. An abrupt shift in the first verse might be disconcerting but it evidences the kind of “scales falling from our eyes” reality that consciousness raising so often is. And I hope that the song ends with […]
women rock
It might seem a bit cheeky, but I thought that since rewrite for this week’s traditional hymn should focus on women and we’ve had a Women Rock service at West Hill several times, that I’d use the tune Toplady to which Rock of Ages is most often sung so here it is! This year, in addition to focusing […]
nothing once, for all
A new hymn written to the tune Blaenwern, one of the tunes most often used for Love Divine. Scott named it this morning as one he wanted new words for, so this is what came in the late afternoon. I’ve been preparing for Sunday’s reflection on Into the Woods, the first film I’ve ever picked for […]