Religion: Love, peace and joy
I enjoy early morning walks and bike rides. Aside from the exercise, I enjoy the time spent in nature and the renewal and clarity it provides. At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, I began to notice kindness rocks (painted rocks with inspirational messages)...
Religion: A burned down treehouse and forgiveness
In the summer of 1975, my friends and I built a treehouse in a large tree located in an open field near our homes. This was the best place to be a kid. All of the neighborhood hung out there.
During that same summer, there...
Religion: Transformation and reconciliation through action and grace
More than 20 different Houses of Faith are part of the Interfaith Community of South County (ICSC). All denominations and individuals who are not affiliated with a faith community are welcomed and encouraged to join ICSC.
As participants in ICSC, we have shared in programs...
Religion: A profile of peace
Very little is known about the Amish Community. The term “Amish” conjures visions of people who are anti-progress, who are against technology, and who live in the 21st century like our forefathers did in the 18th century. In 2006, the world caught a glimpse...
Advent Lutheran celebrates 50th anniversary
“I needed a place to be with God again. I watched the services on YouTube for a few weeks and decided I was ready. I loved how the service was so clear to me and helped me understand how the community works together. It...
Religion: Can faith make a difference?
The MLK Jr. Interfaith Service at St. Mary’s in Gilroy earlier this month was a beautiful example of why different faith traditions bother to take the time to come together when we are so different. The truth is that our differences can make our...
Religion: True Happiness
The Dhammapada is a Buddhist text that is believed to record the actual words of the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Guatama, better known as the Buddha. It is a collection of sayings of the Buddha. Verse 131 teaches, “All living beings seek happiness.”
Throughout our...
Religion: Living in Peace
It was Christmas morning, but this Christmas was unlike any before. It was 1914, and thousands of soldiers were in the trenches as World War I was beginning to rage.
Yet, in the midst of the war and conflict, something beautiful emerged. Historians do not...
Religion: Thanksgiving: My 30 years in the priesthood
How shall I return to the Lord for all the good He has done to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, (Psalm 116:12-13).
I would like to think that these 30 years have not been in...
Religion: Nurturing Our Inner Life
When March 1 arrives, I always think of spring. I know that the official start of spring is later in the month of March, but for me spring is here at the beginning of March. I grew up in the south, and when March...