This year, I’ve held two phrases in my heart - “Love draws near” and “What does love look like, now?”  I didn’t search for these phrases, or seek out a theme for the year. Like a stray dog, they just slipped quietly into mind in early January, curled up, and stayed....

“Give me your hand”. This is the title for the 3rd week of advent, chosen by the Sanctified Art team. “Give me your hand”. Maybe Joseph spoke those words to Mary after he had the dream and decided to marry her, come what may. Maybe Mary said “Give me your hand”, and...

Fear being his mechanism of control, Herod Antipas sought to crush the hope of the people by crushing the prophets. In this week’s scripture, John the Baptist became a political prisoner waiting for a violent state to decide his fate. I wonder what fear felt like in...

Advent can be a dizzying time. On top of ordinary life, there are presents to purchase and wrap, school concerts and Christmas parties to attend, feasts to plan and prepare, services to organize and attend. In addition, there is the accompanying emotional labor: hopes...

When we moved to England we bought an old red Vauxhall from an elderly gentleman. On our first drive in the countryside around Bristol we stumbled upon a small “pick your own” apple orchard with heritage English apples. A short, wiry man with cheeks like an apple doll...