Lent invites us into the season of sacred pause—not for the sake of hollow piety or performative sacrifice, but for deep, honest self-reflection. In the quiet of this season, we are called to look inward and identify the personal and systemic barriers that keep us from loving our neighbors fully. In our progressive faith, the… Continue reading Let’s turn our Lenten contemplation into courageous advocacy
Author: Web Admin
I wrote a poem at this start to Lent.
Holy One, sometimes life just seems to have too many times; too many times of violence and dying; too many demands and problems; too many broken dreams and lives; too many wars and fights and arguments; too many moments of greed andsounds of people devouring each other like vultures on a dead carcass; too many mountains of unpaid bills … Continue reading I wrote a poem at this start to Lent.
Valentines Day 💝 twist on 1 Corinthians 13
In our pursuit of a more just world, we often lean on policy and protest—vital tools for change. Yet, 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that even the most righteous activism, if it lacks love, is merely “a noisy gong.” In a progressive context, love is not a passive sentiment; it is a restorative force. Love… Continue reading Valentines Day 💝 twist on 1 Corinthians 13
Paul at the Palms Archive
The Beatitudes for 2026 America
Blessed are you who turn off the news with trembling hands and weep over the sink while the world carries on—for the Kin-dom belongs to the soft-hearted. Blessed are you who keep watch at the gates of the jail or the edges of the border, your breath rising like incense in the freezing air—you shall… Continue reading The Beatitudes for 2026 America
A Season for Every Matter
As shared during our Annual Meeting on January 31, our community is stepping into a new theme for the year ahead: “A Season for Every Matter.” In our progressive faith tradition, the pulse of social justice is our constant heartbeat. However, as the ancient wisdom of Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “For everything there is a… Continue reading A Season for Every Matter
Not Just a Sunday Routine: Shaping What’s Next
Annual Meeting Saturday, January 31, 20269:00 a.m. in the sanctuary Forget the outdated stereotypes of “boring” church meetings and stale traditions. At its heart, our gathering is far more than an annual habit; it is a living laboratory for the future. In a world that often feels fractured and uncertain, we come together not to… Continue reading Not Just a Sunday Routine: Shaping What’s Next
Some argue, “But they broke the law.”
The Church is neither the master of the state nor its servant but is called to be the conscience of the state. That’s the fundamental truth of which MLK, Jr. reminded us. We must act as its guide and its critic, but never its tool. If we fail to recapture our prophetic zeal, we risk… Continue reading Some argue, “But they broke the law.”
How we live out our mission in such times
In a world that feels increasingly off-kilter, many of us are searching for a compass. At The Palms, where we strive to embody unconditional love, justice, and extravagant welcome, we often look to the Gospel to make sense of the noise. The Bible offers us a subversive kind of wisdom. Consider Jesus of Nazareth: he didn’t… Continue reading How we live out our mission in such times
A Season for Every Matter Under Heaven: Embracing the Rhythms of Change
In our progressive faith community, the call to social justice is a constant, beating heart. Yet, as the ancient wisdom reminds us, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Understanding this rhythm is not a retreat from action, but a deeper commitment to sustainable, effective change.… Continue reading A Season for Every Matter Under Heaven: Embracing the Rhythms of Change