In the quiet of our sanctuary, we often seek peace—but the world outside calls us to a different kind of holy work. As we look toward the Middle East, many of us feel a deep, unsettling grief. For decades, but especially recently, U.S. involvement in the region has mirrored a pattern of devastation rather than… Continue reading The time for silent prayer has passed.
Tag: social justice
This is a Call for Moral Clarity and Peace
As we look at the world today, the contrast between our nation’s priorities and the needs of its people is stark. We find our resources poured into global military expansion while, at home, the divide between the ultra-wealthy and the vulnerable grows into a canyon. While a few invest in luxury and longevity, the middle… Continue reading This is a Call for Moral Clarity and Peace
Straight From the Heart Art Show
Right here at The Church of the Palms UCC Opening day: March 14, 1:30–3:30 pm through March 29 Saturdays from 1:30 – 3:00 pm and Sundays during coffee hour after worship Curated by Tisha Wir, Straight From the Heart highlights artwork by incarcerated women and men, uplifting stories of resilience, restoration, and hope through art.
How can we turn our Lenten disciplines into tools for advocacy?
As the sunshine of February transitions to March, we find ourselves in the middle of another Lenten journey. This year, our congregational theme—“A Season for Every Matter”—takes on a profound weight. If we look at the world around us, it feels as though we are living through a season of “breaking down” and “weeping.” In… Continue reading How can we turn our Lenten disciplines into tools for advocacy?
Let’s turn our Lenten contemplation into courageous advocacy
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
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
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.”