Journal

Tag: Reflections

Waiting on the Lord

Waiting on the Lord

(to be read slowly, with much silence between the thoughts)   In John 21:3 Simon Peter said, “I am going fishing.” They said, “We’ll go with you.” Although they fished all night, they caught nothing. After being directed by Jesus,...
What Our Bibles Say About Us

What Our Bibles Say About Us

Jolts of inspiration don’t arrive in the mail every day. But a while ago, my uncle called. He told me that in cleaning out his basement, he’d come across my great-grandmother’s Bible. He’d be happy to pass it on to me. Nanny — as we affectionately knew her — fled...

Opening Day

I wasn’t much of a baseball fan until the Nationals arrived in Washington. They just drew me in. Their youth and exuberance were contagious. The broadcasters helped me learn the game and appreciate the stories of individual players. Before I knew it, they were...

Jesus Lives

The sermon on Easter morning at the Falls Church Anglican began with a question which pondered why it was that Mary went to the tomb of Jesus that Easter morning. The answer centered on the love Mary had for Jesus, perhaps in response to all Jesus had done for her. I...

Stripping of the Altar on Maundy Thursday

My thoughts lingered on the stripping of the altar as the mood in the Maundy Thursday service shifted from Holy Eucharist to Gethsemane. All was cleared: left over bread and wine, communion vessels and fine linens, and candles. These items won’t be needed now....
The Importance of Retreat

The Importance of Retreat

What is retreat, and why do we do it?  Retreat is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a period of group withdrawal for prayer, meditation, study, or instruction under a director.”  A Christian retreat is often referred to as a definite time spent away from...

How To Sustain a Justice Movement

Thoughts from a break-out session by Paul Metzger on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Mother Teresa, and John Perkins Believe in a suffering God Believe in a resurrected God See Jesus in relation to the poor Sense your own poverty in relation to the poor Lay down your life for...

Christ, the load-bearing wall

Soren Johnson is on the board of Coracle, and in this short blog, he truthfully hits on the structure of a family. Soren shares how his ‘house’ is made, and nudges us to be mindful of what matters.  This entry was originally posted here, or you can...

Lent Rocks!

I love Lent…I love Lent.  It’s like a long, hot shower for the soul, spring cleaning for our spirits.  There’s such value in observing the church year, such pastoral help.  Lent helps us come clean through self-examination, confession, repentance, and amendment...

From John Michael Talbot on Christmas

I’ve deeply appreciated John Michael Talbot for many years.  His music and his life has shaped my heart.  And I found his Christmas letter this year beautiful.  Merry Christmas! We have seen a lot in the year, months, and weeks prior to Christmas 2012. Just to name a...

A Report on a Retreat

So what goes on at a retreat at Corhaven? Christine Lee Buchholz tells us in a great article for The Washington Institute. Better than that though, she invites us to experience the richness of silence, which is not the absence of noise, but rather space for God.  You...
Thanksgiving: Another Way of Living

Thanksgiving: Another Way of Living

Thanksgiving is probably one of my favorite holidays because it is not over-saturated with commercialism (like most other holidays) and it seems like a day set aside for pure family time. I use this holiday to count my blessings, and reflect on the way I live. On a...

What is Ministry?

I am 100% confident that Coracle is an avenue for people to come closer to God. Coracle offers so much, and invites people with all interests to grow with us.  There’s mission trips, spiritual direction, personal and group retreats, and more. I am so proud to be...

Let Your Heart Speak

By: Chrissy Koach I’ve been watching a lot of tv lately.  My favorite chore is laundry because I can justify watching another episode.  🙂 Last week, I finished Herman Wouk’s Winds of War.  While the acting was really bad, the storytelling was fantastic. ...

‘There and Back Again’

We’ve made it, home.   After 28 hours of travel from Kigali to Entebbe to Addis to Rome to Dulles to Corhaven, home. I’m deeply aware and grateful for the prayers of so many folks for us, they were all answered, in more abundance and gentility that we would have...

Carpenters Following The Carpenter

We began our journey in eastern Congo (DRC) in Aru, a place spared much (though not all) of the violence that is so typical of this country. Anglican Relief and Development Fund helped establish a project in this diocese that we had the chance to see and evaluate, and...

Congo

In the northeast corner of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), The Bishop of the diocese of Aru was the first to say what we’ve heard several times since in the last two days since we arrived, “When you visit us, we know we are in your hearts, when you visit Congo...