"The most valuable thing the Psalms do for meis to express the same delight in Godwhich made David dance."                                                      – CS Lewis It is Saturday, and that means music... Prayers, affirmations of faith and Scriptures set to music reach a unique place in our souls, extending us toward God – the source of our joy. I shared one encouraging music link the other...  Read More

Happiness depends on happenings;joy depends on Christ.  I was filled with joy by images of some of our oldest and youngest members this week (photos below). Three are of Bill and Lois Batts. In a Facebook post the staff at the Kenney reported that they "are making the most of these times with a little creativity. Although they live in different buildings and cannot visit each other hand-in-hand, t...  Read More

Joy is that deep settled confidencethat God is in control of every area of my life.                                                                    – Paul Sailhamer This morning’s reflection is so simple, so central, and impossible without God’s grace.Forgiveness is the essential ingredient to joy. Not “an” essential element – “the” essential ingredient. Resentment or shame are joy killers.Rem...  Read More

If it seems a childish thing to do,do it in remembrance that you are a child.                                                  – Frederick Buechner There is a saying in theater – never share the stage with children or animals. On Sunday Ben, who sings in the choir and also has a goldendoodle, shared a video of his dog running with full enthusiasm up the stairs and hallways of his apartment buildin...  Read More

When was the last time you laughed for the sheer joy of your salvation?People are not attracted to somber doctrines.There is no persuasive power in a gloomy and morbid religion.Let the world see your joy and you won't be able to keep them away.To be filled with God is to be filled with joy.                                                                                       – Anonymous I’m not su...  Read More

Where others see but the dawn coming over the hill, I see the soul of God shouting for joy.—William Blake The fourth Sunday in Lent is my favorite. It is Laetare Sunday. Laetare means "Rejoice" in Latin. In Catholic tradition, the short chant that is sung prior to the Eucharist on the 4th Sunday is from  Isaiah 66:10-11, which begins Laetare, Jerusalem, which means "Rejoice, O Jerusalem." The pass...  Read More

from Anthony Spain, Music DirectorEvery Sunday evening at 9:30pm a service takes place in Seattle that includes mostly music from hundreds of years ago. Not the mega-hit one would expect today, and this service would largely be forgotten were it not for the fact that not only is the church packed out each Sunday with people of all ages, but that the predominate age of those attending this service ...  Read More

Today's mediation invites you to consider Artist David Hockney's painting released this week: "Do remember they can't cancel the spring" as you read Jesus' words from the sermon on the mount. (link to image)Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?… Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory wa...  Read More

If you are following my 5 Psalms / 1 Proverb a day trick, we are on Psalms 91-95 and Proverbs 19.Come, let us bow down in worship,  let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;for he is our God   and we are the people of his pasture,   the flock under his care.Elder Blythe Meigs reflections in this time seem a great fit for our morning readings. Blythe writes:As I consider the current events and what t...  Read More

As we keep our eyes on the future, trusting God's faithfulness, elder Dee West shared this reading and verses:from Jesus Always, Embracing Joy in HIs Presence by Sarah Young."DO NOT DWELL ON THE PAST, beloved. You can learn from the past, but don’t let it become your focus. You cannot undo things that have already occurred, no matter how much you may yearn to do so. Instead of wishing for the impo...  Read More

Good morning friends,It has been a tumultuous few days, and I am finding that even with the spiritual practices in place of Scripture before phone, and limiting how often I check the latest news I am struggling to resist anxiety and unrest. So this morning we turn to two Psalms that elder Russ Dow relies on. Russ writes:“Here are my short verses: Psalm 91:1,2: Those who live in the shelter of the ...  Read More

ResistanceWith so much change happening so rapidly in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, it is hard not to feel some resistance to the social distancing measures being encouraged and enforced. I am encountering surprising pockets of resistance in my own soul! All of this brings to mind the word from Isaiah 30:15:    For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:     in returning and rest you...  Read More