Category: Ponderings

We have journeyed through the desert on our way to Jerusalem and pondered some difficult questions concerning anger at God and anger at those who permit evil to flourish and fail to speak out even in the smallest way. We have celebrated Easter and remembered that we are People of the Resurrection with a faith… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings May 2025

As we move into the month of April and the depth of spring, we will witness nature coming back to full life following a peaceful rest during fall and winter. We can also experience this same rebirth or resurrection as we experience more light from the sun, warmer temperatures, the bloom of colors in our… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings April 2025

Please note: This pondering concerns some of the members of Encanto Community Church UCC and not others. If you are not experiencing these stresses, I pray that you continue to find peace and comfort in your lives. I am not choosing one group of congregants over the others but am concerned about all of you… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings February 2025

“May the New Year bring you blessings of love, joy, health, peace and prosperity.” We are off and running at the start of a new year. Welcome 2025!Some have started to put away the decorations from Christmas and others will start in the next couple of days. Bowl games and playoffs are underway and regular… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings January 2025

As you read this pondering, we are headed into Advent and Christmas season. The stores have been ready for Christmas for over a month. Christmas carols have played for 3 weeks. Television ads have featured a Christmas theme since the election. Hallmark hasbeen showing Christmas movies since the end of October. Now, in the next… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings December 2024

This past week I read an interesting article about religion and the Fortune 500. If you are not familiar with the Fortune 500, it is a list of the 500 more profitable corporations in the United States. Traditionally, the Fortune 500 has never spoken of religion and operated as if religion and individual affiliation was… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings – June 2024

Ponderings! A message from Rev Gloria January 2024 I offer you this prayer as we begin the New Year. Blessings, Rev. Gloria

January 2024 I offer you this prayer as we begin the New Year. Happy New YearBlessings, Rev. Gloria

December 2023 Last month I wrote about gratitude and its role in our lives on the surface and our conscious awareness. I hope that you took the opportunity to discover how consciously grateful you are or are not by participating in a daily exercise of gratefulness for specific experiences and actions. This month I will… Continue reading Pastoral Ponderings

September 1st, has been designated as World Day of Prayer for Creation. It is also the beginning of the Liturgical Season of Creation (or known by some other denominations: Creation Time). During this time we acknowledge the wonderful aspects of God’s creation and as caretakers of all of creation we need improve our sense of… Continue reading Ponderings – September 2023