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I thought I had killed it. Rabbits had eaten every bit of it besides the parts that were too woody to chew. I had ordered a pink magnolia tree online and it had been delivered to my house. This little sapling was to replace a hydrangea “tree” that the previous owners had planted in the front yard of my house that failed to thrive. The magnolia sapling was no more than a foot tall. I bought a sapling rather than a mature tree because I wanted to see it grow from something small into something large. I had never lived anywhere long enough for the trees to grow large, and I wanted the magnolia to be the first. But the rabbits had eaten it down to two sticks when the weather got cold in the fall. All winter, I was convinced that the rabbits had killed my baby magnolia tree. I was looking online for a bigger starting tree. Maybe I could plant a tree that was a few feet tall so that the rabbits can’t eat the leaves. I was ready to buy another magnolia tree, but I hesitated. I am not sure why, but I waited. Come spring, the little magnolia pushed out tender new leaves and new branches. Realizing that this little sapling was going to fight to survive, I quickly dug up the tree and put it in a planter pot in the back yard so that the rabbits couldn’t get to it. All summer, I doted on the baby magnolia tree making sure that I was watered and always in a sunny spot. When the weather started to have a chill in the air, I brought it back to the front yard and planted in the soil once again. The rabbits quickly ate the lower leaves, but this time there were still leaves that were too high for them to reach. Last Monday, I squealed as I left my driveway: as I was looking over my shoulder to check for oncoming traffic, I saw a burst of pink in my front lawn. I threw my car into park, jumped out, and ran to my magnolia sapling. For the first time in the three years that I have had it, my sapling bloomed. The sapling is no more than a couple of feet tall, but it put out brilliant, full-sized pink flowers. I swore that I had killed it, but with patience and care, my little magnolia tree was blooming.
As you rest in the outpouring of God’s Love that we experience in the resurrection on Easter, I hope you all give yourselves some time to slow down as well.
Rest in the knowledge that you are enough as you are. You are God’s beloved right now. You don’t earn God’s grace, but it is given freely to you now. Your efforts are seen, and God celebrates your achievements with you. And no matter how dark the night seems, the light of dawn will always break through. Blessings, Pastor Chris I was talking to someone this weekend who asked what I was up to this week. I responded with, “It’s Holy Week, so I am rather busy.” They responded by asking, “What exactly is Holy Week?” Generally speaking, I try not to use church jargon when I don’t know someone’s religious background. Still, there are times when I am caught off-guard when someone is unfamiliar with what I consider a commonly used term. While I was surprised, I only let my surprise last a half a step before I was able to give my four-sentence summary: “Palm Sunday (yesterday) is the day when Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. He spends the week debating with the local religious authority. On Thursday, he has his last supper with his followers before he is arrested early the next morning. By Friday afternoon, he is crucified but then he rises from the dead on Sunday”
Having to explain this to someone I know reminded me that the world doesn’t stop for Holy Week anymore. While some places still close for Good Friday or Easter Sunday, many places still don’t. Let me be clear, I am not complaining about this. Our culture doesn’t stop for holy days, weeks, or months for other religions either. Our world is much more globalized and secularized than it used to be. That means we get to enjoy the richness of many cultures without leaving our neighborhoods - but it also means that the wider culture can feel indifferent to the holiest and most meaningful days in our respective religious calendars. I have memories of leaving a service that struck me to my core, and then interacting with people on the sidewalk like nothing had changed in the outside world. It was jarring to see that people didn't notice or care. But our culture's indifference means we all have to intentionally set aside time to sit with the stories of Holy Week. Culture is not going to force you to consider how power is abused and how Jesus stood up to the corrupt and powerful. No one is going to drag you to the table to hear about how Jesus recklessly loved us and all of humanity. You are not forced to sit at the foot of the cross and meditate on the human inclination towards violence and death. If you want to make your Holy Week feel truly holy, you are going to have to carve out time to sit with the story, and dwell with the struggles of the characters. If you want a place to gather where you will hear the story again, join us for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. But for however dark the week feels, know that Easter will come just the same. Whether the world ignores it or eagerly waits for it, Jesus and his abundant love will always break through our world once again. Blessings, Pastor Chris The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, - Exodus 34:6 Dear *|FNAME|*,
“I feel so much anger welling up inside me…” I've heard this sentiment in various ways more than a handful of times on Sunday after worship - but it wasn’t the anger itself that struck me, it was the co-occurring sense that they felt guilty for being angry but were still unrepentant. I was never told that being angry was a bad thing, but I did grow up in the Midwestern culture that considered being angry to be rude - and being rude was socially unacceptable. Sunday school lessons taught me to be nice and courteous. To be angry was to be rude and confrontational if not outright belligerent. Angry emotions were the thing that could lead to violent actions. I was always a “good kid” who never caused problems. When things did happen, I was praised because I didn’t make a scene or cause a fuss. As I said before, I don’t remember ever being directly told that being angry was wrong. But the way that people seemed to avoid angry people and praise me for my good, quiet behavior, I slowly learned that showing my anger was bad… because it was rude. But anger is not a bad thing. Anger is not an emotion we should banish or bury. Anger is not inherently destructive. Anger is not inherently irrational. Anger has a purpose. Anger can be protective and constructive and I hope that you allow yourselves to feel angry. In the verse above, God is walking by Moses and allowing Moses to glimpse God’s form in order to encourage and inspire Moses to continue leading God’s people for the journey ahead. When Moses saw God’s backside, Moses hears a voice saying that God is, “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Most comments about this description of God I have read or heard discuss it in a way that puts the mercy and steadfast love as the opposite to God’s slow anger. Described as a patient parent whose temper wears thin, God is imagined to be loving and patient until us humans push God too far and God flips the anger switch. What if instead God’s anger stemmed from God’s steadfast love and mercy? This description comes after the story of the Exodus where God’s anger is kindled against Pharaoh for the exploitation of the Hebrews. Even after ten opportunities to change his behavior, Pharaoh refuses to change and is visited by God’s wrath. In that story, God’s anger comes not from disobedient children of God but God’s steadfast and abiding love of the common people. I don’t think that anger shouldn’t be investigated as to its origins; but neither do I think it should be banished or buried just because it is not seen as socially acceptable. Anger at the exploitation of people is a good thing. Anger at systems of harm is a good thing. Anger about injustice and inequity is a good thing. Anger about the consolidation and abuse of power is a good thing; but anger that is felt must still be dealt with before it festers and mutates into something else. If you are feeling angry, you do not need to feel guilty or ashamed: I encourage you to do something constructive with that anger. Don’t let it devolve into hatred and violence. Instead, let it motivate you to lift up community, connection, and resistance. Blessings, Pastor Chris |
AuthorPastor Chris Hallam earned her degree at Princeton Theological Seminary and moved to Michigan to become a pastor. Also trained as a studio artist and graphic designer, with an interest in pop culture and social science, her passion is thinking creatively about the future of the church. Archives
January 2026
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