by Christian Coon | Apr 21, 2021 | Everyday life, Peace, Presence, Sharing
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. (John 14:27a, NRSV) Every spring for the last several years, I’ve participated in some sort of group clean-up of a river in the Chicago area. This year our church teamed up with a local group called Clean Up Give...
by Christian Coon | Sep 15, 2020 | Holy Spirit, Presence
Let’s enter God’s dwelling place; let’s worship at the place God rests his feet! (Psalm 132:7, Common English Bible) Since travel is out for so many of us, I’ve found myself daydreaming about trips my family has taken in recent years, including an amazing week...
by Christian Coon | Jul 15, 2020 | BLOG, Grief, Presence
“For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace. My heart is stricken and withered like grass; I am too wasted to eat my bread. Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my skin.” (Psalm 102:3-5, NRSV) Almost 25 years ago, I took a...
by Christian Coon | May 15, 2020 | BLOG, Presence
There are two venerable Chicago restaurants located about a mile west from my home. One is Manny’s Deli, which is renowned for having key Illinois and Chicago politicians swing through. After President Obama won the election in 2008, where was his first public...
by Christian Coon | Aug 28, 2018 | Abandonment, BLOG, Presence
I did something a couple weeks ago I never thought I’d do as a pastor. I abandoned someone at the communion table. It wasn’t as intentional as when John Wesley supposedly refused communion to a former love interest, but it did spur some deep reflection...
