The exhibit at the Jewish Museum, in Berlin, caught my attention in such a way that I almost heard myself gasp. A rainy day and a long line had diverted us to the Jewish Museum instead of the Museum that had been at the top of our list and I found myself secretly glad. I … Continue reading Making Discoveries of Who I Am
I can hear my father, even now speaking the words of the old communion service—the words that always seemed to stick with me, to settle in my heart and make me ponder the meaning. “And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy … Continue reading A Living Sacrifice
Addressing Evil It seems that for the last three months or so I have had a watchword. As I understand it, a watchword is a word or motto that embodies a principle or guide to action. This watchword seems to be coming from deep inside me, welling up when I least expect it, shaping questions … Continue reading Addressing Evil
This summer nature has astonished me over and over again. More than once I have been stopped short by some part of nature—the green around me from leaves and grass and even weeds, the intensity of colors in the summer blossoms, the early morning bird songs that awaken me, the quiet gentle rains and the … Continue reading Sowing Seeds
This past Tuesday, the whole country stopped to celebrate the Independence of our country that took place with the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. While for many, this particular holiday is celebrated in fine fashion with cookouts and fireworks, parades and baseball games, for me it has been a time to reflect … Continue reading Reflections after Independence Day
Mercy, Never Ceasing By Rev. Alicia Randolph Rapking Sunday, July 2, after seven years of no regular Sunday morning responsibilities, I return to preaching most Sundays. As the director of Upshur Parish House and Crosslines, I am appointed to Extension Ministries in the WV Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, which means that instead … Continue reading Mercy, Never Ceasing
This morning, as I write, we are in the “in-between” time of Ascension Day and Pentecost—the day that Jesus ascended into heaven and the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers and set their hearts on fire. Every year, at this time, I think about a most unusual experience I had when I was … Continue reading On Rogation, Hildegard, and Nature
I saw it as soon as I walked into the darkness of the small log church. It was the smallest item in the room, but it caught my eye first, just the same. There were plenty of other things to notice. There was very little light, only a bit of sunlight streaming in through a … Continue reading A Holy Moment in a Holy Place
On this Easter Monday, I am reflecting about a particular Easter that I experienced years ago. It was an Easter Sunday that I have spoken about many times and also have written about, but this year there is another layer of reflection that is speaking to my heart. I am reflecting on the Easter, my … Continue reading Another Resurrection Story
Reflection on a Service of Darkness I was seven years old that spring and I remember that I had been thinking a lot about Easter, as the weeks of Lent embraced the coming of a North Carolina spring. Winter had been bad that year, resulting in uncommon missed days of school and even more uncommon … Continue reading Reflection on a Service of Darkness
prayers of my heart, a collection of articles and writings by C. Alicia Randolph 