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Inspiration Blog

A letter from a caring God

`As offered by Pastor Mark as part of his sermon Sunday , March 3.  The service can be found on our Facebook page. How are you? Really. How are you? I just had to send a note to tell you how much I care about you.        I saw you yesterday as you were talking with your friends. I know how much you…

Unraveling the Thread of Your Life

By Annie Turner Recently, I started knitting a Reiki shawl for my husband as a belated Christmas present. The yarn is this astonishing, hand-dyed Bad Sheep yarn in a multitude of bright colors. I finished one ball and got set to stretch out the next skein and roll it into a ball. Somehow, something went badly wrong. Satanically wrong. Throw the skein…

Because of you our church is changing lives!

As the new pastor of the church, I have been amazed by how people described their relationship with the church as transformative – that their involvement with this congregation has deeply impacted their lives and changed them for the better. Here’s just a few such sentiments I have heard: I give thanks for the loving kindness and generous Spirit that is at…

Whose Order? A reflection on change

Sermon delivered August 13, 2023 by Rev. Mark Seifried @ Haydenville Congregational Church, UCC.Publication here is for devotional purposes and not for duplication. Based upon Exodus 1:8-2:10, Mystic, Episcopal priest, writer, and internationally renowned retreat leader Cynthia Bourgeault shares a great little tale in her book, The Wisdom Way of Knowing. Bourgeault spins her parable this way:Once upon a time, in a…

Building Your Sacred Tool Box

By Annie Turner Sermon delivered July 2, 2023  at Haydenville Congregational Church READINGS: ISAIAH 43: 16-21 & 1 JAMES: 12-18. “SEE I AM DOING SOMETHING NEW; NOW IT SPRINGS FORTH, DO YOU NOT PERCEIVE IT?” HELLO, MY DEAREST PEEPS. I HOPE YOUR DAY IS GOING WELL, AND I PRAY THAT MY WORDS WILL GIVE YOU STRENGTH AND UPLIFT IN THIS DAY AND…