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04 Nov 2011

Levelling (Mountaintop Removal)

With regard to energy, we are infants. Most of us live in blissful ignorance of the source of our comfort and light—both spiritually and physically. Energy is a mystery uncontemplated. Like a child watching a parent depart for work, we are vaguely familiar with where...

30 Oct 2011

The Art of Belonging (Common Friars)

[caption id="attachment_1228" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Thaddeus prepares for Evening Prayer with the Common Friars."][/caption] In the hills of southern Ohio, there is a community of believers living in a way both ancient and fresh. Although they call themselves the Common Friars, their way of life is anything...

23 Oct 2011

Amish Getaway

[caption id="attachment_1190" align="aligncenter" width="213" caption="PLEASE NOTE: IN THE FOLLOWING BLOG POST, YOU WILL NOT FIND IMAGES OF MY AMISH FRIENDS. AS PART OF THEIR BELIEFS, THESE AMISH DO NOT APPEAR IN PHOTOGRAPHS. ALL OF THESE PICTURES APPEAR WITH THE APPROVAL OF THOSE INVOLVED AND WITH...

18 Oct 2011

South Side Green: Mindful Practice at Trinity UCC

While in Chicago this past week, I had the pleasure of visiting Trinity UCC. Despite several decades of ardent work in social justice and community building on the South Side, Trinity is perhaps best known today as the home of former senior pastor Rev. Dr....

18 Oct 2011

Resurrection through Innovation

While cycling through Illinois, I had the pleasure of following a series of beautiful trails that skirt bodies of water. The most well known of these is probably Chicago’s Lakefront Trail, which connects a great deal of the city while it winds along Lake Michigan....

18 Oct 2011

Green Seeds of Wheaton

  Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting Wheaton College. Wheaton is a private Christian college that has been a cornerstone in the American evangelical community since it was established in 1860. Because of this role, I was uniquely curious about what sorts of responses...

05 Oct 2011

Autumnal Now

In the long stillness between passing cars, the crisp rustle of drying corn whispers across the rolling countryside of central Iowa. A change in light brings the harvest, and nurtured concern turns to diligent action. On the fringes, trees start to wave goodbye to the...

29 Sep 2011

Nebraska XL (Nebraska: More Mindful Than Washington?)

Make no mistake: Nebraskans are fully aware of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. Everywhere from cafes to churches to bars, schools, ranches and farms, people are talking about the pipeline. While various media portray rumors of indecision, the experience of cycling through the state has...

23 Sep 2011

A Start: Blog in Four Parts (1 of 4)

A cool, northwest breeze blows at my back as I make my way through the heart of the nation. My wheels roll evenly over the dips and climbs handed out over comparably undulating beauties and eyesores. In one glance, there is a wealth of waving...

23 Sep 2011

History of an Unseen Face (Part 2 of 4)

After a chilly but friendly jaunt through the Black Hills and Rapid City, I headed off to the southeast in an ominous headwind toward the Badlands and Wounded Knee. For years, I’ve been looking forward to the opportunity to ride through the Badlands, and my...