How could anyone vandalize a building devoted to prayer and worship of a deity? A place that radiates righteous behavior and thought and subverts and contaminates with bigotry, narcissistic wrath against others? Humanity is basically evil in nature. We need to be guided by laws proves this. We don’t play well with others, nor with ourselves. We do try and sometimes have some success. Vandals recently, attacked predominantly black…

In the month of December 2020, reflection about advent. This is a time when I reflect on the birth and life of Christ Jesus. How this single event of the Messiah humbly being born as a human being. That he had to learn to breath, eat, speak, crawl, walk, all under the subjection and discipleship of human beings who were his enemy. Yes, I do believe that any and…

Every year at The Village we observe fallow month in December. “Fallow” is a farming term which means to leave a field unplanted. This gives the field a chance to rest and replenish nutrients. We practice fallow month to give us space to rest. We try not to fill up the month with events, but rather we take time off from our pilgrim groups, monastic communities and other events.…

In 1997 I moved to Tucson to plant a church. I didn’t know what I was doing and felt very alone. Two years later I was an abject failure and looking to return to the world of business. Then God introduced me to Eric and the Seneca house. Slowly God began to gather people around us. Broken people. Hurting people. Stumbling people. People like me. Somehow God gathered people…

Dear Villagers, The evening service on November 29th has been cancelled. The morning service will be held via livestream, but the building will not be open to additional attendants.  I was briefly exposed to COVID-19 recently and am awaiting test results. As such, my household is avoiding contact with the larger community for the time being. Further, Mark has come down with a bad head cold, and Rod is…

https://www.thebanner.org/columns/2020/11/sitting-in-the-sun

Sue Cepin’s Philosophy of Training Children -We are transformed into great parents by the Holy Spirit as we embrace the gospel. Galatians 5:16-26 (NIV) 16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each…

Tamale Day (an Italian sonnet) I watch you standing near the steaming pot, perspiration’s glow dripping down your face. You splay the corn husks with an expert grace, spread masa just the way your mother taught. Black olives, not green, always hit the spot. There is history you will not erase, traditions from another time and place, tamales made with love just can’t be bought. Memories of kids standing…

A TRIOLET OF PRAISE The embers of the hymn burn soft, smokey notes drift upon the breeze, float high where simple praises waft. The embers of the hymn burn soft. Sparkling descants climb aloft, soar above angel devotees. The embers of the hymn burn soft, smokey notes drifting on the breeze.

Lindi and I were good friends when we were really young, but we lost contact and hadn't seen each other in years. Then we connected again, and began hanging out. At the time, I was working two jobs: A day job (9-5) and playing in a band at night (9-1AM). While we had resumed our friendship, Lindi had some well-deserved concerns about me. I was spending my nights in…

What joy it is to watch and join in Sunday worship, along with Kathy, from our living room. What a privilege to hear God’s word, confess our sin, pray, hear God’s blessing, and sing familiar songs from the comfort of our home. It’s fun to hear Mr. Hand and shout out Happy Birthday to people we love. How good it is to hear familiar voices and see Mark and…

FROM HERE ON UP Walking the long, slow slog of life. Climbing step by arduous step, each one infinitely more painful than the one that came before.  Struggling, tottering, limping on scarred and blistered feet,  twisted ankles, hobbled knees, tripping, staggering, stumbling the hard scrabble mountain path.  From here on up, it’s downhill all the way...

One of 9 people presiding in the top echelon’s of the judicial systems of our country died today. I have no idea how she reacted or thought of being referred to not by her name rather a nomenclature of three letters. I don’t think I would like it, because is seams to disassociate me from being a real person, or my identity as myself. The truth is I know…