On the banks of the river Seine, right across from Notre Dame, is a bookstore called Shakespeare and Co..

All of the books are in English, because the man who founded it back in 1951 was an American, named George Whitman.

But Shakespeare and Co is no ordinary book shop. After traveling the world with almost no money and encountering the kindness of strangers wherever he went, George wanted to create a soft landing place for English speaking creatives from all over the world. His motto was simple:

“Be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise.”

Todays' service brings together members of St. Johns Episcopal Church, Edwards Church, Haydenville Congregational Church, and First Churches to celebrate Pride. Our preacher was the Rev. Reilly Paige. Click on the link to watch the service. There is an echo and if we can retrieve better audio, we'll reload the service in the near future.

Do you ever wonder if God really said…. any of this….“let there be light,” and all that? We recite these words with such confidence, but it’s not like anyone was around to hear God and write it down for posterity. So how do we know?

Honestly, now a days, the internet being what it is....

This morning's sermon was given by the Rev. Scott Barton. Please click on the YouTube link to listen. The sermon begins at the 25 minute mark.

“In the first book, Theophilus,” is a weird thing to hear at the beginning of a scripture reading isn’t it? Honestly, it’s kind of a strange thing to even find in the Bible.

Anyone hear that and wonder who this Theophilus was? Or is this story so full of weird that you forgot all about the mysterious Theophilus by the time Jesus started floating upward like Grizabella at the end of “Cats”?

For those of you just tuning in, ...

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power…to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ…”

On Tuesday I had the honor of presiding at a graveside service for a man named Rodney. I didn’t know Rodney at all, though apparently the rest of Northampton knew him very well. Rodney was deaf and a graduate of the Clark School. The combination of his personality and the education he received through Clark, enabled and inspired him to become deeply involved in our community.

Rodney worked at...

Do we have any Barbara Brown Taylor fans here this morning? Barbara Brown Taylor, for those of you who don’t know, is an Episcopal priest, a professor of religion, the author of at least twelve books on faith, and one of the finest preachers walking on God’s green earth at the present moment.

She is such a wonderful writer in part because she is such an avid reader, and in my favorite chapter from her book: “Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others,”  Taylor recalls a story from the book, “Out of Africa” by Isak Dinesen whose real name was Karen Blixen. In it, writes Taylor, Blixen tells the story...

I’m tired, which is a little worrisome because I have to tell you that I take very good care of myself. I make it a point to keep sabbath every Friday. I exercise everyday. I eat well. And I’m good at being in bed for at least 8 hours every night. (Not asleep, mind you, because I am a woman of a certain age, but at least in bed with the lights out trying to sleep.) And yet I’m still tired. Like, really tired.

How about all of you? I’m just curious, anybody else feeling exhausted lately?

Yeah. I’m not surprised, in part because...

Last week, after our Good Friday service, a woman who had been in attendance said to me: “God, how awful it must have been for the disciples of Jesus to not know what comes next. I can’t imagine how that would feel.”

In today’s story, we encounter our merry band locked away in fear for their lives. Well, all locked away except for Thomas, but we’ll get to that. Their fear is justified; they have just seen their friend and teacher killed in an act of state violence for his beliefs, beliefs they have professed to share. They know that if they leave the safety of their hiding place, they might meet the same fate. All they can do is sit in the grief of their loss, and the guilt that, on his darkest day, they left Jesus behind. Of course, they have heard news of the empty tomb, and even of Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene. Yet, they remain despondent and out of sight.

And so, when I picture these disciples locked away, I see grieving, fearful people, deeply uncertain of where to turn in the wake of tragedy and oppression. They do not know the ending of their own story.

“I can’t imagine how that would feel,” said the woman on Good Friday 

But, can’t we? 

I’m not gonna lie  - which is a great way to begin an Easter sermon - it feels good to get our triumph on this morning. I’m loving the brass and the bright colors and this sanctuary full of people. It is so good to hear the bells ringing and the choir singing “Alleluia!”  And I can’t wait to feel - feel it in my bones! - when Sarah Kraaz pulls out every last stop on that organ for our postlude.



Friends, the truth is, I could stand here all day and say “Christ is risen!”  for the pure joy of hearing you say back (go ahead and hit me)  “Christ is Risen indeed!”....

I know yesterday was a big day here in America, and I was proud to take to the streets with over 8 million people around our country for the “No Kings” rally. Here in Northampton we prayed and sang in our sanctuary with other people of faith and then went outside to join in a line with our neighbors that stretched from the corner of King and Main streets in all 4 directions. It was pretty awesome.


But have you heard about the procession in China that has also gone viral? There were only seven of them out there and it took them two whole days to cover 10 miles. Anyone know what I’m talking about?

Apparently....

I subscribed to another substack this week, because if there is one thing I need in my life it’s more email. I know. It’s bonkers. And honestly, if I was going to subscribe to one more substack, it would make sense to go with something light hearted and fun given all the doom and gloom that currently fills my inbox.

But no, I doubled down and chose straight up horror. We’re talking death with a capital D! I subscribed to - wait for it - “Graphs on Religion,” by statistician Ryan P. Burge. He studies the decline of religion in America, and folks, it’s as horrifyingly grim as it sounds.

I clicked subscribe so I could read...