Moderator's Memos

“It takes a village.”

This popular saying is thought to have its origins as an African proverb that went like this: “It takes a village to raise a child.” Now it’s used in a number of ways and you’ll often hear me saying it about a variety of situations.
 
I think of it now in connection with our soon-to-be-launched Capital Campaign but with a slight modification: It takes a congregation.
 
The involvement of all of us – our

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What does Lent mean to you? 
 
These 40 days before Easter are meant to be a time for reflection and introspection.  They provide us with the opportunity to “slow down,” as Pastor Ellen titled her Lenten Retreat Saturday afternoon.
 
For some people, Lent means “taking on” – that is, adding a daily activity like meditation, or scripture reading, or a nature walk, or composting. For others, Lent means “giving up” – that is, giving up things like meat,

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Two Wolves
 
A couple of Sundays ago, Pastor Ellen’s sermon was titled “Love Wins,” which was particularly relevant coming as it did right after Valentine’s Day. But, of course, you can’t go wrong engaging with the notion of “love wins” at any time.
 
The sermon brought to my mind an old story attributed to a Cherokee elder that you have undoubtedly heard.  In fact, Pastor Ellen has related it in previous sermons.
 
The story—or legend

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Love God and Love Neighbor
 
Today is Valentine’s Day, when, the saying goes, all thoughts turn to love. So, I thought I’d take some liberties with the day and use it as an entree to share with you a few of my favorite New Testament Bible passages that refer to love. They might be some of your favorites as well.

• “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son….” (John 3:16)

• “God is love.”

No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.
 
When I heard those words the first morning I came to services at Cleveland Park Congregational UCC several years ago, I knew I had found a church home. But I could not have anticipated just how much a part of my life this congregation would be.
 
In this, my first Moderator’s Memo, I thought I’d share just a few of the features

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