“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12: 20-26
CLICK HERE to view all the following individual postings collected into one interactive flipbook.
Explore the Theme — “Ready to be crucified”
a prayer from Pastor Steve Garnaas-Holmes joined with some stations of the cross by Mickey McGrath
Explore the Theme — “Ready to be crucified” – A4
Explore the Theme — “Ready to be crucified” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — All Praise to Our Nearest Star
a poem in awe at the wondrous gift of sunlight for a planet whose life depends on it; Easter praise for Christ our light
Explore the Theme — All Praise to Our Nearest Star – A4
Explore the Theme — All Praise to Our Nearest Star – US Letter
Explore the Theme — AT A CROSSROAD
Joan Chittister asks, “Is religious life dying or coming to new life in some parts of the world?” Nuns & Nones create a new covenant community together
Explore the Theme — AT A CROSSROAD – A4
Explore the Theme — AT A CROSSROAD – US Letter
Explore the Theme — DYING . . . DEAD
probing the death “movement” of the paschal mystery “symphony,” through the lens of nature
Explore the Theme — DYING . . . DEAD – A4
Explore the Theme — DYING . . . DEAD – US Letter
Explore the Theme — IN THE TOMB
Cornelia’s devotion to Christ in the tomb; a contemporary pastor’s belief that “we are seeds” of the risen One; the keening of Ukrainian mothers for their dead soldier sons
Explore the Theme — IN THE TOMB – A4
Explore the Theme — IN THE TOMB – US Letter
Explore the Theme — PASSING OVER
there’s no way around dying, say CS Lewis, Ruth Haley Barton, Richard Rohr, & Erhabor Emokpae
Explore the Theme — PASSING OVER – A4
Explore the Theme — PASSING OVER – US Letter
Explore the Theme — What About That Harvest?
reflections by Sarah Bachelard on holding together tensions of joy & sorrow at harvest-time
Explore the Theme — What About That Harvest? – A4
Explore the Theme — What About That Harvest? – US Letter
Explore the Theme — A HIDDEN WHOLENESS
Brian Draper probes the mingling of darkness & light, death & life as aspects of a great wholeness; Richard Rohr explores resurrection as a mystery of entering into the wholeness we’re made for
Explore the Theme — A HIDDEN WHOLENESS – A4
Explore the Theme — A HIDDEN WHOLENESS – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “To Be Fully Alive …”
Read what scientist Charles Darwin wrote of the insights he received into the mystery of the unity of all creation during an ordinary, local walk
Explore the Theme — “To Be Fully Alive …” – A4
Explore the Theme — “To Be Fully Alive …” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “Here Comes the Sun”
Enjoy a concert in celebration of the gift of sunshine, so essential for the transformation of the grain of wheat
Explore the Theme — “Here Comes the Sun” – A4
Explore the Theme — “Here Comes the Sun” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — SING A NEW SONG!
Learn this original song especially composed for SHCJ by Preston friends & musicians, Pete & Clare Cobb
Explore the Theme — SING A NEW SONG! – A4
Explore the Theme — SING A NEW SONG! – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “LEARN A JAZZY CHANT”
Learn to sing “a jazzy chant” composed by Elizabeth Mary Strub, SHCJ, and sung with her by Mary Sullivan, Veronica Ufomba, Lilian Eboh, Patricia Holden, Mary Talbot, Margaret Ogunlade
Explore the Theme — “LEARN A JAZZY CHANT” – A4
Explore the Theme — “LEARN A JAZZY CHANT” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “Seedtime, not harvest”
A song of peace by Chanticleer, the story of Alfred Delp’s resistance to the cruelty of Hitler’s Germany; the humble etchings of a Ukrainian artist in the Soviet era — thanks to Rosemary Mangan, RJM
Explore the Theme — “Seedtime, not harvest” – A4
Explore the Theme — “Seedtime, not harvest” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “Sow Peace”
Take a moment to contemplate the global implications of war in Ukraine and “let your heart break for this world”
Explore the Theme — “Sow Peace” – A4
Explore the Theme — “Sow Peace” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Remember That Thou Art Dust …
“Lent” comes from the Old English word for “Spring.” View the SHCJ Lenten Meditation which invites reflection on humankind’s essential connection with earth and soil and all they hold for us.
Explore the Theme — Remember That Thou Art Dust – A4
Explore the Theme — Remember That Thou Art Dust – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “Plant Dreams”
Lent is a growing season for the global church & the SHCJ, a time to listen deeply to Pope Francis’ dream that the Synod be a time for planting our dreams
Explore the Theme — “Plant Dreams” – A4
Explore the Theme — “Plant Dreams” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “An Infinite Potential for Being”
pod-cast of a 12-minute sermon by the Rev. Matthew Wright on Matthew 13:31-32
Explore the Theme — “An Infinite Potential for Being” – A4
Explore the Theme — “An Infinite Potential for Being” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Breaking Ground / Ground-breaking
a poem, a ploughman’s reflection on his labor, & a book aiming to inspire a post-pandemic future
Explore the Theme — Breaking Ground / Ground-breaking – A4
Explore the Theme — Breaking Ground / Ground-breaking – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Gleanings — 2
a miscellaneous assortment by friends of SHCJ, all variously inspired by the grain of wheat
Explore the Theme — Gleanings — 2 – A4
Explore the Theme — Gleanings — 2 – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Gleanings—3
a medley of thoughts in word and image: “in a pregnant space,” germination as “complete destruction” of a “protective shell”
Explore the Theme — Gleanings—3 – A4
Explore the Theme — Gleanings—3 – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “Hit the Ground Kneeling”
Stephen Cottrell explores the parable of the sower as a way of “Seeing Leadership Differently”
Explore the Theme — “Hit the Ground Kneeling” – A4
Explore the Theme — “Hit the Ground Kneeling” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Lent is about Baptism
we begin Lent and by our Lenten observance we take care to water the seeds we have planted
Explore the Theme — Lent is about Baptism – A4
Explore the Theme — Lent is about Baptism – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “Love-sowing God”
The SHCJ February Meditation combines the sung poem by Steve Garnaas-Holmes with Taryn Harbridge’s musical rendition of “The Water is Wide”
Explore the Theme — “Love-sowing God” – A4
Explore the Theme — “Love-sowing God” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “Rest in Hope”
Writer Wendell Berry and composer Andrew Maxfield invite us to rest in hope
Explore the Theme — “Rest in Hope” – A4
Explore the Theme — “Rest in Hope” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “Soft Refreshing Rain”
listen to “All Good Gifts” from Godspell & take a moment to sing out your thanks for the gifts “from Heaven above” that refresh the seeds you water
Explore the Theme — “Soft Refreshing Rain” – A4
Explore the Theme — “Soft Refreshing Rain” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Sowers Are Life-givers
we continue to “rest in hope,” & dream with Irish sister-author Stanislaus Kennedy; view a short clip from the fantasy drama The Secret Garden
Explore the Theme — Sowers Are Life-givers – A4
Explore the Theme — Sowers Are Life-givers – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “The Art of the Metaphor”
a video on how metaphors help us understand ourselves & our world, & a reflection on the seed of love God sows in each heart
Explore the Theme — “The Art of the Metaphor” – A4
Explore the Theme — “The Art of the Metaphor” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Breaking Ground / Ground-breaking
a poem, a ploughman’s reflection on his labor, & a book aiming to inspire a post-pandemic future
Breaking Ground / Ground-breaking – A4
Breaking Ground / Ground-breaking – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Gleanings — 2
a miscellaneous assortment by friends of SHCJ, all variously inspired by the grain of wheat
Explore the Theme — “Hit the Ground Kneeling”
Stephen Cottrell explores the parable of the sower as a way of “Seeing Leadership Differently”
“Hit the Ground Kneeling” – A4
“Hit the Ground Kneeling” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “The Art of the Metaphor”
a video on how metaphors help us understand ourselves & our world, & a reflection on the seed of love God sows in each heart
“The Art of the Metaphor” – A4
“The Art of the Metaphor” – US Letter
Explore the Theme — The 13.8 Billion Year Story of Wheat
video of cosmologist Linda Gibler, OP on learning to read the book of Creation & its Wisdom
The 13.8 Billion Year Story of Wheat – A4
The 13.8 Billion Year Story of Wheat – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Gleanings — 1
a miscellaneous assortment by SHCJ variously inspired by the grain of wheat
Explore the Theme — Has My Light Come?
a look at the grain of wheat through the lens of Epiphany, our festival of lights
Has My Light Come? – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Sow Epiphany Seeds
an epiphany reflection by hispanic theologian Carmen Nanko-Fernandez
Sow Epiphany Seeds – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “Re-alignment”
a poem, a theologian’s musing & a timely astronomical breakthrough probe the meaning of Christmas
Explore the Theme — Let’s Talk About Seeding
KEEP AN OPEN MIND to how the process of seeding has evolved throughout the universe, both locally and globally
Let’s Talk About Seeding – US Letter
Explore the Theme — SEEDING WITH DIFFERENCE
A few excerpts from REBEL IDEAS: The Power of Diverse Thinking by Matthew Syed
Seeding with Difference – US Letter
Explore the Theme — SEEDING FOR LIFE!
Poem by Spanish philosopher/poet Unamuno & reflection by Australian theologian, Sarah Bachelard
Explore the Theme — O Holy Darkness!
Rosemary Mangan, RJM invites us to ponder the gift of darkness as the Northern Hemisphere marks its Winter Solstice & the global church bids Radiant Dawn to come
Explore the Theme — “Imagine a Sower … ”
a video about one of the many paintings of the sower by Vincent Van Gogh
Explore the Theme — Don’t Treat Soil Like Dirt!
watch a 4-minute video explaining why soil is one of the most amazing things on Earth
Don’t Treat Soil Like Dirt! – A4
Don’t Treat Soil Like Dirt! – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Grounded in Reality
Terri MacKenzie, SHCJ reflects on the ecological context for growing wheat, or anything, today
Grounded in Reality – US Letter
Explore the Theme — “Child of Night, Child of Light”
a poem about seeds by Kate Holmstrom, SHCJ
Child of Night, Child of Light – A4
Child of Night, Child of Light – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Tenderly Sown
paintings by Grace Carol Bomer, with a reflection/prayer & a haiku poem
Tenderly Sown – A4
Explore the Theme — Questions of Life & Death in Our World
excerpts from “Impasse & Dark Night” by Constance FitzGerald, OCD
Questions of Life and Death – A4
Questions of Life and Death – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Don’t Take Seeds for Granted!
brief reflections from different corners of the world on the value and wonder of seeds
Don’t Take Seeds for Granted – A4
Don’t Take Seeds for Granted – US Letter
Explore the Theme —Except a Grain of Wheat
a poem & a song explore the process of generating new life from seeming death
Except a Grain of Wheat – US Letter
Explore the Theme — Guidelines
how to contribute something to this page
