Author Archives: Benjamin White

Fullfill All Righteousness: a meditation on Matthew 3

Jesus changes the direction of all our religious quests. We had convinced ourselves that by our careful observation we could be righteous, but we had only just begun. We hade barely gotten to the beginning when we thought we had arrived at the end. “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism ofContinueContinue reading “Fullfill All Righteousness: a meditation on Matthew 3”

Lost and Found Resurrection – A Sonnet

I was dumbstruck when I discovered the little resurrection pendant I had lost at least a year earlier in the parking lot of Circle of Hope’s building in South Jersey. I had lost it and looked everywhere in my house but never even began to look elsewhere. Yet, there it was right next to whereContinueContinue reading “Lost and Found Resurrection – A Sonnet”

I refuse to know everything!

It seems that if I am going to care about anything, I have to care about everything. The message that has flooded the basement and whole house of my imagination is “all or nothing.” How did this happen? We (maybe humans; definitely North Americans) have a fascination with technique and expertise. Everyone could be anContinueContinue reading “I refuse to know everything!”

The Resurrection is a Whole Vibe

Rachel Sensenig, another Circle of Hope pastor, recently posted one of those billboard type posts on facebook: “Do I have to believe in the resurrection in order to be a Christian?” It generated some facebook dialogue which might challenge the truth of our Circle of Hope proverb: “Dialogue keeps us connected and protects our gravity.”ContinueContinue reading “The Resurrection is a Whole Vibe”

Making a splash in my neighborhood (You can too!)

Putting Circle of Hope on the Map in OUR Neighborhoods This month, Circle of Hope sponsored the West Collingswood Extension Civic Association newsletter. That’s my neighborhood. It’s a wonderful, weird little slice of South Jersey. It is part of Haddon Township, but separated from the largest chunk of this patchwork township by Collingswood. AND myContinueContinue reading “Making a splash in my neighborhood (You can too!)”

Loosestrife: A Sunday Sonnet

Loosestrifefor Oliver (“peacemaker”), Theodore (“Gift of God”) and Lysimachus (Not the warrior of Third Century Thrace but the proto-botanist physician of minor Fifth Century renown and the first Western identifier of the lythrum salicaria plant commonly known in English as Loosestrife) An etymological blunder broughtThis blood beknighted flow’r upon my banksLysimachus who found it, someone thought,WasContinueContinue reading “Loosestrife: A Sunday Sonnet”

Are You Compromising for Love? :: A report From Getting to Know the Bible

Getting to Know the Bible In Circle of Hope we say in our proverbs “The Bible should be known and followed, and that is a group project” and one of the ways we are doing that is our “Getting to Know the Bible” dialogue series. The pastors and their friends are leading 90 minute zoomContinueContinue reading “Are You Compromising for Love? :: A report From Getting to Know the Bible”

A Christian Pledge of Allegiance

  I wrote this prayer for our Sunday meetings. I started with this image I found around Memorial Day and kept going from there. It helps me put the holiday in perspective. I’ll be raising money for my local civic association and watching fireworks (my favorite fourth of July activities), but I will not beContinueContinue reading “A Christian Pledge of Allegiance”

The Holy Spirit Helped Me Write This Poem

When something wonderful happens I often write it down so I can remember to write a poem about it. I love writing poetry. I draw my inspiration from those epiphanies that happen often enough in a life lived with open eyes. “Open eyelids and open hearts” I should say. Because sometimes what you see isContinueContinue reading “The Holy Spirit Helped Me Write This Poem”

To the Graduates of 2021

This is to the graduates – college grads, high school grads, other kinds of grads, too. In my neck of the woods I’m talking to Camden, Pennsauken, Collingswood, Cherry Hill East and West, Haddon Township, Gloucester City, Audubon High Schools, and more. I’m talking to Rutgers, Rowan, the community colleges in Camden, Burlington and GloucesterContinueContinue reading “To the Graduates of 2021”

Unpatriotic Reflections on Immigration for Memorial Day

As we head into Memorial Day, let us consider our stories When my ancestors immigrated to North America they were called pilgrims, settlers, pioneers. When immigrants today come to North America the most common names are refugee, asylum seeker, alien. Why did the narrative change? My ancestors are heroes, today they would be from anotherContinueContinue reading “Unpatriotic Reflections on Immigration for Memorial Day”

Hezekiah Walker, Moana and Me Say “We Are Worshippers”

“Every praise is to our God” is the title and refrain of Hezekiah Walker’s do-you-need-a-little-joy-right-now? jam. I love this song! But it does have some weird language that trips me up a little, and I think might trip you up even more if you are not used to church music. Every praise is to ourContinueContinue reading “Hezekiah Walker, Moana and Me Say “We Are Worshippers””

How Jesus Says “Woman”

John 2:1-11 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, whatContinueContinue reading “How Jesus Says “Woman””

“Is not the knowledge of difference essential to the deepest love?”

George MacDonald dreams about heaven a lot. It seems like a good thing to do, especially for the hopeless times. If those dreams draw you into some separating reverie and not into love of thy neighbor, stop. Don’t have a UFO theology. Don’t just wait to get beamed out of here. Here is where youContinueContinue reading ““Is not the knowledge of difference essential to the deepest love?””

Caring About Climate Catastrophe, Like a Chump

Paper or Plastic? I walked  into my local coffee roaster on Earth Day and discovered that they had switched their bean packaging from paper to plastic. I know and love these people so I did not hold back my protest with the barista who rang me up.  “Yo, tell the owner [name redacted because thisContinueContinue reading “Caring About Climate Catastrophe, Like a Chump”

Board Games: A Doorway to an Inner Life

Going Deeper This post is mostly for the external processors and the extroverts, I think. But I would love it if it has some purchase for other kinds of folks too. We need to have an inner life to be fully ourselves, and there are all kinds of ways to skip across the surface ofContinueContinue reading “Board Games: A Doorway to an Inner Life”

Luke Learns to Listen — A Bible Story

Luke Learns to Listen ———– Acts 16:6-10 (The Message) They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn’tContinueContinue reading “Luke Learns to Listen — A Bible Story”

How Psalm 23 Came to Be — A Bible Story

How Psalm 23 Came to Be An imagined moment with the poet king The King sat on his throne, harp in hand, looking out the window from his palace on the hill called Zion. The hills around him were green with spring and across the valley a huge flock of his own sheep grazed happily,ContinueContinue reading “How Psalm 23 Came to Be — A Bible Story”

Martha’s Mastery — A Bible Story

What if you were Martha? The Martha who chided Mary for sitting at the Master’s feet and got chided herself by Jesus. How did that feel? I put a story around that question. I hope it awakens the right kind of wonder and discomfort in you. Martha’s Mastery ——– At the Home of Martha andContinueContinue reading “Martha’s Mastery — A Bible Story”