Julie’s Jar: Bus-man’s Holiday
Every time we step into sacred time and space, it is an invitation to immerse ourselves in the presence of God, in whom we live and move and have our being.
Continue readingJulie’s Jar, “I Did Not Learn That in California History”
The 14th amendment became law 150 years ago in July 1868 and over night, 4 million former slaves became citizens. Opposition to the new law became a broader campaign against the federal government. One of the states that resisted the most was California. California was a free state but refused
Continue readingJulie’s Jar, “Dear Millenials,”
Dear Millenials, You are not the first generation to be called whiners and you won’t be the last.* You are not the first generation to be called unpatriotic because you questioned out loud the domestic and foreign policy of your country and you won’t be the last.* You are not
Continue readingJulie’s Jar, “Hits a Nerve”
It hits a deep nerve, this news. As I listened to pieces of the report, it hit a deep nerve. For years, reports of child abuse by clergy in the Roman Catholic church in a diocese in Pennsylvania were covered up. According to the grand jury report, over 300 priests
Continue readingJulie’s Jar, “30 Years”
It’s been 30 years. I’ve served First Christian Church of Pomona for more than half my life as associate pastor, acting pastor, senior pastor, pastor. I have little stickers a friend gave to me close to 30 years ago that read “There’s nothing sinister about a woman minister.” My husband
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Julie’s Jar
More than 800 people who were unsheltered died on the streets of Los Angeles County last year. There is a deeply held assumption that people living on the streets “choose” to live there. Do they choose also to die there? Two unsheltered people died near our church. The people we
Continue readingJulie’s Jar, “Whose Skin Am I In?”
~Whose Skin Am I In?~ Christians consider Jesus to be the incarnation of God: the embodiment of God. Some Christians are so bold to consider the invitation of Jesus to “come and follow me” as an invitation to allow our lives, even our very bodies to embody God. Jesus’ coming
Continue readingJulie’s Jar, “Seeking Advice”
All of us from time to time, seek the advice of a trusted friend, a doctor, a lawyer, even a pastor. What about the Holy Spirit? Have you ever considered seeking the advice of God? Sure, we pray, but do we ever really get a direct answer? Unlike seeking the
Continue readingJulie’s Jar, “Church Geek”
~Church Geek~ It was the first full day of my time in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I couldn’t wait to get to Morning Prayers at Memorial Church at Harvard. I was also invited by my dear friend Emily, to attend a preaching competition at Harvard Divinity School that began at noon. Admittedly,
Continue readingJulie’s Jar, “Remembering What I Did Know”
~Remembering What I Did Know~ I was on the cusp of being 8 years old the day Dr. King was assassinated. It wasn’t talked about in our home that I recall. It wasn’t a topic of conversation. I did not know until much later in life that “Just weeks before .
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