“My grandmother’s hands feel leathery. They are never soft or smooth. No amount of lotion can unharden the skin after years spent cleaning, scrubbing, cooking. Hands immersed in dirty water, clean water, harsh chemicals—hands that, combined with elbow grease, shined floors and windows and baseboards in white women’s kitchens. Hands of an older, Southern Black […]

Dear Congregation, This coming Just Peace Sunday will be special at CCC. I hope and pray that you’ll be with us, either in person or on Facebook, during the worship service focused on peace and justice, and, in person or on ZOOM, for the Churchwide Visioning Day afterward led by Neal Watkins, Minister for Congregational […]

Dear Congregation. The peace of Christ to each of you! On Wednesday Karen Kett and I attended the Miami-Dade County School Board meeting, which was quite an experience! We got there early to get a seat for the 3:30 p.m. meeting, as we had heard that it would probably be crowded. It certainly was as eventually there was […]

Dear Congregation,   When I was a child, Labor Day used to mark the end of summer vacation, as school would begin again right after the holiday. It signaled to us kids that it was time to get back to work. Now, here in Miami, and in many other places, school starts in August, before […]

Dear Congregation, I hope you are doing well! I was happy to finally receive my new UCC Desk Calendar and Plan Book this week. (Sometimes it’s the small things in which we find joy!) In addition to the monthly calendar pages, it contains the scripture lessons for each Sunday and for holy days, lists Special […]

Dear Congregation, Grace and peace to you! The Rev. David Long-Higgins, Heartland Conference UCC Minister, recently posted this Poem/Prayer on a Facebook group for UCC ministers to which I belong. I think it’s quite lovely and inspirational, and so am sharing it with you. May each of us endeavor to have our “little life” mirror […]

Dear Congregation, Grace and peace to each of you! I share with you these verses from Hebrews 12:1-2 which will be part of our focus text in Sunday worship. The Example of Jesus 12Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin […]

Dear Congregation, The Peace of Christ to you as we share life together in a world where peace is often hard to find. The daily news reports local, national, and international events, any one of which tempts us to retreat into our own little worlds. We often feel helpless to change things. “Who are we,” […]

Dear Congregation, Greetings! I hope all is well with you. As I’ve shared with you in sermons, in meetings, and one on one, I have gotten information about some good resources, ministry experiences, and other valuable tips that other pastors have shared in Facebook groups of which I am a member—”UCC Clergy”, “UCC Clergywomen”, “RevGalBlogPals”, […]