Cynthia Lapp
Letters To And From Prison
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
While our series is called “Letters from Prison”, I have to say that getting letters to prison is not always simple. The first letter I sent to Jason, who is in a minimum security facility in Illinois, was returned. When I inquired with Jason’s wife about this, she said, “Oh shoot. No stickers allowed, not […]
Letters From Prison
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
One of the unexpected gifts of the pandemic has been a “full house” for adult education this past year. We just concluded four months of adult ed sessions about the legal system, policing and prison in this country. It was moving, powerful, even life-changing, to learn from people in the criminal legal system, to try […]
Vine And Branches
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
Last Sunday was our periodic break from screens and worship on Zoom. I hope you were able to get outside to enjoy creation or family, or whatever helps you feel connected to the Holy. At our house it was a Sunday of biblical proportions. We spent hours clipping and chopping and sawing at two giant […]
Bewildered Hope, Defiant Love
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
Christ is risen, Christ is risen indeed. Here we are, another Easter, celebrating risen life on Zoom. Hopes are rising. The dangers of disease and death are starting to feel less immediate, the vaccine is in many arms – and I still protect my heart so it won’t be broken if things get more extreme […]
Seeds In The Earth
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
Here we are, the 5th Sunday of Lent, our theme ever deepening as we approach Easter – deep calls to deep. Deep water, deep forest, deep sky, deep wilderness, deep earth. Last week we heard the story of how one of the religious leaders, Nicodemus, came to see Jesus in the night, under deep darkness, […]
Vast and Deep
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in your sight, YHWH, my rock and my redeemer! One year ago today we were celebrating the baptism of Max. It was a joyful, beautiful day with a big fellowship meal afterward; our hearts and plates were overflowing. The day before […]
The Deep Blue Ocean
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
This year the season of Lent might feel difficult to embrace. In a time when traditionally people give up things, I’ve heard at least one pastor say, “Haven’t we given up enough in the past year. It is like we never left Lent 2020. Do we really need to give up anything else?” (It might […]
What Are We To Do?
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
BP – before Pandemic, I didn’t dream much. I mean I did dream a lot before kids but then I stopped, at least I stopped remembering my dreams. But now, DP, during pandemic, I have begun remembering more of my dreams. The other night I dreamed that I ran into a high school friend at […]
State of the Congregation
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
Here in this political season, in this ever political city, it is once again time for that occasional address, the state of the congregation. I so wish I could parade down the center aisle (like I did one time) while you all stand and cheer from the left and the right, or perhaps mostly from […]
Gifts of Epiphany
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
As the Christmas season draws to a close for another year, and we sing carols that weave together the birth stories, I feel that preacherly responsibility to pick apart and untangle the two very different gospel stories of Jesus birth. During advent and on Christmas Eve we heard the story from Luke. It comes (sort […]