Root Mother I do not see you as much as I feel you– know you, the way I know my bones hold me upright as I walk, or the pressure of bare feet on cool grass. You, Root Mother, draw my eyes downward to the earth, where the heart of life beats, the deep throb beneath all the distractions we call life. Root Mother, yes, that is the best name I can give you, although your true name sounds more like water over stone or the creak of growing corn. Some truths are hidden, tucked away in the holy darkness, far from my dissecting mind, yet I know they are there, safe in your hands. Who says I must u ..read more

Snake oil salesman The wagon creaks as it rolls, wheels strained from the load of hollow promises stacked full. How is it that the snake oil salesman knows the perfect time to enter the town, calling out to the crowd, enticing them with bold claims of quick and certain cures? Is it something in him? Is it something in me? He arranges all the items they believe they need, with well-designed labels and slick branding. The vials glint in the sun, as do his eyes when he sees their attention fixed on him, their yearning for a better day warped by his hunger to be adored. All day he offers a f ..read more

..read more

A fresh way of being in this world Life is a room with golden walls and many doors, some ornate with brass fittings, others wooden with simple handles, some with hinges rusted tight from disuse or avoidance, others with latches so loose one must only look at them and they fly open, luring. There are signs above many, flashing lights, scraps of paper, chalk scratches on the frame, encouragements and even warnings from other travelers whose feet have worn the thresholds smooth. Some have been widened so much to accommodate the throngs of people who mindlessly rush through like cattle being he ..read more

One fresh moment To stand still for a moment true to the breath birds singing in the trees the echo of midnight’s rain releases its hold on the bare branches falling gently to the ground to be received with open arms by the earth that is calling to us all Stuart ..read more

The First Sunday in Lent February 18, 2024 Stuart Higginbotham The Covenant God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you. When our daughter was around four or five, her Grammy, Lisa’s mother, asked her what she wanted for Christmas. Evelyn was very clear in her answer: a rainbow. I remember honestly not giving it much thought, bec ..read more

We gather the dry pieces For Ash Wednesday Let us keep in mind the ashes of this year’s ritual were made from a flash of praise, with green fronds lifted high in that brief moment of brightness before the shouts of joy turned and rage took hold and possessed the crowd who then tossed their palms, crushed and bruised onto the dusty ground. In this season of light and shadow, we gather the dry pieces, now crisp with time, and burn them to an ash, infused with the memory of all we are capable of, the distance between our joy and our rage stretching only from our desire to our fear. Now on thi ..read more

February 4, 2024 Annual Mtng Sunday Sermon Isaiah 40:21-31; Mark 1:29-39 “Strong winds signify that something is happening” Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? Last week, Cynthia referenced the psychological evaluations that people have in the discernment process to become clergy. Her story about being asked if strong winds scare her made me laugh–and think. She made this comment, which has stuck with me all week: “strong winds signify that something is happening.”  In terms of my o ..read more

The Tale of the Hollow King and the Three Wise Men (An imaginative telling of Daniel 3) Stuart Higginbotham There once was a king whose heart was hollow. He craved above all for it to be filled, but he could never say this, because the many scars he bore prevented him from being nimble and vulnerable with anyone. Over time, he actually became less aware of his own woundedness, which happens when we deny it. To bend in any way caused him so much pain, so he made a choice–as much as anyone in such a state makes a choice–to live fueled by anger and the hoarding of wealth.  With every coin he ..read more

In Him All Things Hold Together The Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord 2024 Stuart Higginbotham This particular Sunday, the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, will always be a “red letter day” for me, here with you at Grace. This week begins my eleventh year with you, which is hard to believe. I look back on our decade together, and my heart is full when I see how the Spirit has been at work. My heart is also full of gratitude for the many ways you have helped make me not only a better priest but a better human being–although I know there is ample room for improvement.  This particular Feast ..read more