As school begins, make a fresh start
This time of year, many of us think about going back to school, for ourselves or for our children or grandchildren. There are all sorts of questions: Who is taking children to school? Do we have the correct supplies? Who is making the lunches?...
From My Perspective: Saying ‘yes’ to God
Have you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Are you open to hearing God’s voice to live out His plan for your life? Do you wonder why there are over 2.5 billion Christians in the world?
It is up to believers in Christ to...
Religion: Response to a Vocal Minority
In the San Francisco Bay Area, we seem to be in a bubble of more open-minded thinking and inclusion. There are other places, regions and states that seem to be filled with fear of the outsider and suspicion of neighbors of different ethnicity, national...
From My Perspective: Honoring Saint Patrick
Last month, you may have celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day by wearing green, drinking dyed beer, eating corned beef and cabbage or possibly pinching someone NOT wearing green. March 17 is the anniversary of Saint Patrick’s death in the year 461. The day honoring the ...
Religion: Ritual bordering upon worship
Before the Fourth of July celebrations are in the rear-view mirror, I offer a religious perspective. The United States of America's Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 (declared in 1776, achieved in 1783, after an eight-year war), is a date we celebrate with enthusiasm...
Religion: Prayers of the faithful
Prayer takes on different forms in different religious expressions. Prayers are chanted, spoken or sung. Prayers are spoken aloud or uttered more silently.
One of the notable expressions of prayer in Christianity is the prayer Jesus taught his disciples when they asked, “Lord, teach us to...
Religion: A prophet for our time
The Interfaith Clergy Alliance of South County, whose members provide these articles each week, includes Jews, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists. All but the Buddhist share a common scriptural text, what Christians call the Old Testament and what Jews call the Tanakh.
In this, they are...
Religion: Spiritual communities remain
“Follow your dream—you can do it!” That is the encouragement often offered to children, to youth and to adults in our lives. It is an encouragement to be bold, to pursue their dreams and to persist through difficulties.
But what is that dream? What is...
Religion: Perhaps it was for this you were created
Members of the faith community of South County were disturbed, saddened and angered when we were made aware of a hate incident against our brothers and sisters in the Muslim community.
For Muslims, this is the holy month of Ramadan, a time of fasting and...
Religion: Guard My Speech
How powerful words are! Rabbi Seymour J Cohen wrote: “Words can inspire, destroy, console us, entice us. Throughout history words promoted hatred, murder, even wars! How many politicians permanently had their careers ended by false rumors and innuendos!”
Each of us have experienced the power...
