The Roofless Church

Category: Awareness

  • If There Was No Such Thing As Language…

    Recently I’ve made the error of reading comments from people at the bottom of some the articles about the recent shootings, racism in America, so called white privilege, and the Black Lives Matters movement. For years I stopped reading the comments because after doing so I typically walk away with a sense of foreboding. I…

  • In The Name of Justice

    In recent sermon, I chose to write a letter to my name in order to express to the congregation how in our society something as small as our name can be used by some people to discriminate. I further illustrated my point by giving them a list of famous people who changed their names because…

  • Mixed Feelings on Race?

    After hearing about the recent shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling I started asking myself what I might be able to offer to the community in terms of creating an opportunity for transformation. Soon I was supplied with an answer and a subsequent confirmation. On Thursday afternoon as I walked down Pearl Street in…

  • Bending Racism With Your Mind

    Can you imagine a world without racism? What would that world look like? What would you give to make that world possible? Better yet, what would you give up to make that world possible? In Together Colorado and other justice seeking organizations, there are people who put in a lot of effort in order to…

  • International AIDS Candlelight Memorial: A Reflection

    Recently, I was asked by the Boulder County AIDS Project to give a short reflection and closing words on May 15, 2016 for the 33rd Annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial. Below is the content of the reflection. My hope in sharing this is that it will increase awareness of how–even with the advancements in medication–AIDS…

  • Love the Players, Hate the Game

    Many years ago, a business consultant, who specialized in military transitions, took an interest in me. She started a conversation with me as I waited for a friend in the Family Support Center of Andrews Air Force Base. Part way through the conversation she jumped in and said, “INTJ or INTP”. Being unfamiliar with the…

  • And out of the Silence…Marisa Tomei

    “Marisa Tomei! Hallelujah! Marisa Tomei! Thank you Jesus! Marisa Tomei! Now I can eat. Amen.” What you just read was an approximation of my thoughts just before dinner tonight. I am presently on a retreat for new pastors and today is our day of silence. With the exception of a short session for spiritual direction,…

  • Tear Down These Walls For A Change

    Recently, I was listening to Jonathan Odell, author of The Healing, talk about some of his experiences of growing up as a white male in 1950/60’s Mississippi. One of the stories he told that stood out to me the most was when he described an instance when a “well-meaning” older white woman explained to him…

  • The Audience That Isn’t There

    Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom…

  • Who Does Jesus Belong To?

    John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.…