Category: Blog

People often ask how I combine my legal work and studies with ministry. A small number of people find this overlap obvious, but most are quite confused. Connection and love are at the heart of my call to ministry. Through hospital chaplaincy I was able to connect with people on the worst days of their…

Alongside living at Georgetown, I work full-time in a local prosecutor’s office coordinating a restorative justice program. Recently, I’ve been spending a significant amount of time thinking about identity formation. I’ve been tasked with working to change the office culture to be more restorative-minded instead of retributive. To do this, I’m finding ways to explore…

I’m working on a sermon that I will deliver in a few weeks for a very special occasion. Since I’m not based out of a church (I’m a “free range pastor” these days), my sermons reflect my personal faith and curiosities more than the needs of a particular community. There are certainly benefits and drawbacks…

One of my students died last week. When I accepted the offer to move onto the Georgetown campus as a Resident Minister I knew that the position was designed to support students through crisis. I knew that a student might die during my tenure, I just hoped it wouldn’t happen so soon. This tragic death…

Holy Week marks the transition from Lent to Easter. Every year, the church walks through the story of Christ’s death and resurrection as if we don’t know how the story ends. I find the liturgical rhythm beautiful in her simplicity: no matter how well we think we know this story, we need to be reminded…

I returned from my trip to Israel and Palestine on Tuesday evening and I was quickly thrown back into reality as I got ready for work on Wednesday morning. My body and mind were sluggish as I trudged through my morning routine in a jet-lagged fog. Eventually, I gathered my things and headed out the…

I’m back after a week off from writing. My mom and I traveled throughout Israel and Palestine, which was a beautiful and eye-opening experience. This was my third trip to the region in 7 years! I could write at length about the trip, but I’ll reflect on one special moment from our day spent wandering…

This past weekend my family said goodbye to our two 13 year old dogs–Milo and Bootsy. They were brothers who only spent a handful of hours apart throughout their lives. We decided with the vet that the kindest thing we could do for them was to let them go together. My family had many conversations…

Last Wednesday, the church welcomed in the season of Lent. Lent is supposed to be a season set apart from the rest of the year, where the faithful reflect on Christ’s death before we celebrate his resurrection and life among us. We find our own death and finitude in Christ’s death, and our potential for…

I had lunch with two pastor friends this weekend at one of their homes. We were catching up about life and ministry, and sharing our various dreams and plans for our futures. It was during this meal that I realized how highly I value my “dreamy friends” these days. These are the friends who create…