by Bill Haley | Feb 5, 2021 | Contemplative Life
“These times are riven with anxiety and uncertainty, given the current global crisis… At first, it sounds completely naive to suggest that now might be time to invoke and awaken beauty. Yet this is exactly [my] claim…” John O’Donohue, 2004“Every good gift and every...
by Bill Haley | Feb 4, 2021 | Contemplative Life
This essay was written after a 16-month trip around the world I was blessed to take in 1994. The lessons contained within are as true as ever, and I hope they are a blessing to you as they remain to me! We live in a world of wonders. We live in a world of jewels. ...
by Bill Haley | Feb 1, 2021 | Coracle News, Justice and Mercy
“For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” Jesus, Luke 8.17 The Backstory In 2009, after 15 years living and ministering in the inner city, mostly in Washington DC, Tara and I received a...
by Bill Haley | Jan 12, 2021 | Coracle News, Justice and Mercy
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6.12 Friends, there are many implications of...
by Bill Haley | Jan 12, 2021 | Coracle News, Justice and Mercy, Peacemaking
As we emerge out from underneath 2020, we imagine you remember one of the most powerful experiences over the summer–– The Juneteenth Lament for racial injustice broadcast live from the Corhaven Graveyard. We want to tell you about some exciting developments for the...
by Bill Haley | Dec 17, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
It’s not a question of “If?” but rather “When?” and “Where?” Is it going to be in Safeway, or the Starbucks, or while wandering the hall of some shopping mall, past pilgrims lugging their gifts of Godiva, fragrances, and merino wool? It’ll probably happen after the...
by Bill Haley | Dec 7, 2020 | Coracle News
Dear Friends of Coracle, Right around this time every year, I write a letter to you listing some of the great things that have happened through Coracle in the year almost passed and offering a little look ahead into the next year, and usually that letter ends up being...
by Bill Haley | Nov 12, 2020 | Church Unity, Contemplative Life, Justice and Mercy, Vocation
In May 2014, I had the opportunity to preach on this question, and I did something I’d never done before and haven’t done since. I wrote the sermon first as a long essay, writing it as completely as possible so I could get it all out on the page, and unsurprisingly...
by Bill Haley | Oct 29, 2020 | Contemplative Life
If your life is going great right now and all is well and you feel like you’re up for anything and can do most anything, stop reading and file this away for when that season ends and life feels quite a bit more overwhelming, or maybe read on and remember it for later...
by Bill Haley | Oct 22, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Creation
I sojourned to south-central Montana in mid-September. The break came at the end of an unexpectedly intense seven weeks, and before a seven-week stretch that I knew would be intense, and unexpectedly became much more so. I needed this time to rest, to immerse myself...
by Bill Haley | Oct 1, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Justice and Mercy
[Author’s Note 10/5/20: I was saddened by the news of President Trump’s and the First Lady’s positive coronavirus results, and am praying for their health, safety, and a swift recovery. Let us all be in prayer for these things. This reflection has been...
by Bill Haley | Sep 16, 2020 | Contemplative Life
DOWNLOAD THIS REFLECTION >> And when Jesus got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we...
by Bill Haley | Sep 2, 2020 | Justice and Mercy
This past Friday– August 28, 2020– I joined some friends on the Walk the Walk 2020 march from Alexandria VA to Washington DC, ‘a faith pilgrimage of racial reckoning, resolve and love’ on the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s ‘March on Washington’ and the 65th...
by Bill Haley | Sep 1, 2020 | Contemplative Life
Several years ago I had occasion to write a spiritual autobiography. I wouldn’t naturally have done that, but the assignment opened up a surprising opportunity to trace God’s fingerprints in my life and led to deep worship then and now. Something I had to do turned...
by Bill Haley | Aug 31, 2020 | Contemplative Life
This was a uniquely meaningful spiritual practice to undertake, and if you ever feel the desire to take a stab at your own spiritual autobiography, I collected some thoughts on different guidelines and postures that might help you get started. You can find...
by Bill Haley | Aug 27, 2020 | Coracle News
Friends, it’s already been an intense year– severe storms of a pandemic and America’s racial reckoning have kicked up and are not done yet. And here comes our election season, and this storm will be very intense for the next couple of months while the other two keep...
by Bill Haley | Aug 19, 2020 | Contemplative Life
Recently, in a sermon at The Falls Church Anglican, I finally got the chance to spend some time unpacking quite a few years of thoughts about praying what we’re actually feeling versus what we think we should be feeling. This is an intense time in our country and in...
by Bill Haley | Aug 11, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Spiritual Direction
Maybe it’s a little strong, but it’s probably just about right to say that my spiritual director has saved my life at least twice in the past 15 years. And God has met me, profoundly, a thousand more times through his ministry. Father James, a Trappist monk living...
by Bill Haley | Jun 23, 2020 | Contemplative Life
These are remarkably intense days in an unprecedented year for America. We’ve seen before some of the things we’re living in now, but never all at the same time like this. One writer draws out “a fascinating breakdown of 2020 and its historical parallels (so far):...
by Bill Haley | Jun 18, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Justice and Mercy
What is it to lament? You make a lament when the pain you feel can’t be carried by mere words. You make a lament when you’re so sad about something that you’d rather cry than speak. You make a lament when you’re grieved so deeply that you want to throw-up. You make a...
