Lent is Coming Fast

Here are some great thoughts by Beth Stedman on Lent Ash Wednesday is in a week (February 6th) and will mark the beginning of Lent, so I thought I would share with you all some thoughts I’ve had about Lent, some research and things I’ve learned about it and some ideas of ways to engage [...]

What Shape Freedom?

It is a snowy morning in Seattle and even though I don’t need to travel to get to my desk I thought that I would at least relax and enjoy our winter wonderland for a few minutes.  Why does it take something like a snowy day to make me feel I can relax?  It obviously [...]

The New Conspirators Live

Good news.You can use your OpenID to join the live discussion at The New Conspirators before, during, or after the event. The chat room works as a live chat and/or a message board. So even if no one is currently in the thread you’re interested in, leave a note anyway. When people join, they will [...]

Women of Purpose

On Saturday I had the opportunity to attend the World Concern Women of Purpose tea.  I was challenged deeply by the stories I heard of the plight of women in many parts of the world.  Women make up the largest group of oppressed people in the world, with laws and customs putting them at a [...]

Course Credit for New Conspirators

We are really gaining momentum as we move towards our MSA conference The New Conspirators.  We are particularly encouraged by the fact that several local universities and seminaries are giving course credits to their students.  Though we are hoping for a broad scope of ages, denominations and backgrounds we believe that young people are the [...]

What the World Eats

Some of you may remember that last year for Lent we encouraged people to commit to The Mutunga $2 challenge for a week as a reminder of the fact that half the world’s population lives on less than $2 per person per day. Here is the first in a great series of images from the [...]

Slow Down and Breathe

This morning I was wondering how on earth I could juggle the busy elements of my life – conference preparation, garden planning, preparation for February speaking my current writing project and preparation for the MSA Board, with a balanced spiritual life, time for hospitality, community, friends and most importantly my husband. Doing the balancing act [...]

Make Lent Matter

Last year I got so frustrated with my friends and acquaintances who told me that they were giving up chocolate for Lent that I decided to produce the attached lenten guide.  I had hoped to expand it this year but unfortunately the pressures of the conference have made that impossible.   However I heard this week [...]

A Resurrection Created Life

Sunday is a day of rest for me – not in the usual way that we in Western society imagine rest – I don’t sleep in or sit around twiddling my thumbs all day because I don’t want to work – I don’t think that is what God’s rest is all about. God’s rest on [...]

Christmas, Advent & Epiphany – a time to celebrate

Now that Christmas is truly over, the Christmas tree is down and the lights have extinguished I have finally found time to sort my Advent and Christmas photos.  There was lots of time for hospitality and celebration Check out the rest of the celebrations on the Mustard Seed House blog