Year: 2026

The Questions Before Us by Erica Lloyd

Deborah

The Seventh Sunday of Easter

A large, spreading tree with huge green leaves and a bench placed in its shade. Photograph by Keith Seat.

May 17, 2026

364 days ago, Jeanne Marcus stood in this pulpit and invited us on a journey. This invitation was, quote ”into a process and event that might encourage a period of Beginner’s Mind about our community. It’s an invitation into a conversation about ‘The Call—and the Future—of Seekers Church.’”

This process, what we now refer to as the Call to Evolve, began even before that sermon, when Jeanne had approached SLT, unaware that they had already been mulling over similar ideas for some time. They hatched the idea of a community-wide event, and with the Stewards’ blessing, Jeanne, John Morris, Ellie Benedict, and Mary Mehala started planning.…

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May Day General Strike

Deborah

Please join us for a May Day Strong special version of our six year old vigil for social justice. Since four days after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, most Friday afternoons from 5 to 6 we’ve stood on the sidewalk in front of our church in Takoma, DC with signs promoting social justice and encouraging voting. Our sidewalk is across from Takoma, DC metro at a very busy intersection of bus, car and pedestrian traffic. We get a lot of encouragement from those who pass in front of us. We have lots of signs to share but encourage you to bring your own if you join us.…

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The Good Shepherd by Elizabeth Gelfeld

Deborah

The Fourth Sunday of Easter

A large, spreading tree with huge green leaves and a bench placed in its shade. Photograph by Keith Seat.

April 26, 2026

The gospel reading we just heard, the first ten verses of John 10, is Jesus’ introduction to one of his “I am” statements. He is teaching his disciples, using the metaphor of a sheepfold and its gate, which is the legitimate way to enter the sheepfold, and he says that he is the gate. They don’t understand, so he continues. I’m going to read verses 9 through 14, from the New International Version.

9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

…

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A Prayer for the Breath of God

Trish Nemore

Praying for Peace and Justice on April 26, 2026

Let’s take a moment to arrive.

Feel your feet on the ground…
your body in the chair…
your breath, just as it is.

We come together this morning not as individuals carrying the weight alone,
but as a circle—
a living body of shared intention.

We pray by releasing the illusion
that prayer alone takes care of everything,

And that prayer may be all we can do at times.

We are people who care deeply.
And because we care, we can become impatient—
wanting more justice,
more clarity,
more response, particularly in the way we want.…

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Burning Hearts: The Inner Work by Marjory Bankson

Deborah

A sermon for 8th Day Community on the Third Sunday of Easter

A large, spreading tree with huge green leaves and a bench placed in its shade. Photograph by Keith Seat.

April 19, 2026

Text: Luke 24:13-35 … Walk to Emmaus

Let me begin with a question: How do you know when somebody loves you?

Actions speak louder than words, do they not? No words can cover up a deep feeling of connection — or a deep feeling of distrust. Our bodies know – register feelings – guide our behavior.  Our feelings can tell us when we are in a safe place – or not.

But most of us have learned to disconnect from our feeling center, and instead, to live a divided life – functioning in a competent and self-contained way even when we are grieving or afraid.…

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