In a Flash After worship on Sunday, I did my normal routine: dropped Blake to get a sandwich by where we live and headed home. As I turned the corner to my circle by the University, I saw two police officers waving people away. I figured it was getting a little full from people parking … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J. – In a Flash

A Summer of Adventure and Sabbath As many of you now know, my time of ministry with this community is coming to an end. I know this is sad in many respects, and it is both an honor and a great gift that people are sharing the concerns and sadness they feel at my departure. … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J. – A Summer of Adventure and Sabbath

Mahalo to You All Aloha Friends, First and foremost, I love you all so much. I would not be the person I am without the unparalleled gifts this congregation offers the world. You have given me the incredible gift of inspiration, partnership and aloha for five years. Together we have been through a worldwide pandemic … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

Stars Align I read the news today, like a lot of you. Sometimes I wonder whether doing that so early in the morning is wise. I think I’ve mentioned the results of a study years ago that found people who do not read the daily news have a longer life expectancy than those who do. … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

Someday When I was very young, my aunt and uncle lived with three of my cousins in Virginia. I was living in Connecticut then. We took a lot trips south down the highway to see my cousins, and it was a lot of fun. I learned a lot about obeying other peoples’ rules when you’re … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

Real Candles “You should get real candles. You’re a minister.” I was at Bed, Bath & Beyond and my friend was helping me get some supplies. I explained that we light a chalice at church and that the electric ones last so much longer and are a lot safer in an old building. So when … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

The First Day The proudest I might ever have felt on the first day of school was all because of monsters. My shirt had monsters all over it and it buttoned up, like a big boy’s shirt. I also had orange shorts, which matched some of the orange in the shirt. It was quite a … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

Trigger warning: this is about having dental work done. For some people, even the thought of that is unsettling, so I wanted to be clear about what you’ll be reading if you continue. Piece of Work Isn’t the needle always longer than you ever expect? Also, its very presence was never mentioned. When I was … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

I Got In Me: “I just locked myself out Lol” Friend: “Dude!” Me: “I’ll get in” Friend: “I think it’s time you hide a key outside or something” [3 minutes later] Me: “I got in” This, you may be able to surmise, is not the first such conversation I’ve had with a friend. I’ve locked … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

A Note of Understanding My weekly message this week is less of a reflection and more of a report. I’ve been hearing concerns lately about an incident that took place nearby the church building late Sunday, January 23 and early Monday, January 24. Someone left the dryer you see here at the entrance of the … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

A Certain Tee Sometimes my friend wishes I’d wear a different shirt. “Great. Let’s talk to a bunch of people today.” It’s just that almost every time we go out with me wearing it, some conversation has to happen. “Oh, I saw them in concert. It was one of the craziest experiences of my life.” … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

Freedom, Too On the 129th Anniversary The booties I had to wear were so cute. I felt like I was pretending to be a doctor or like I was putting on slippers over my shoes. Then walking around the magnificent structure and on the finely milled and polished floors, it was a little more slippery … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

A Christmas Miracle? I don’t want to brag, but I am a bit of a Christmas miracle, right in your midst! Every year I hope it won’t happen. I eat right (mostly). I exercise (usually). I try to keep the stress of the season and the calendar at bay every year. And this year, I … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

Reason in this Season Friends, there is a lot I like about this time of year, but it might not surprise you that one of my favorite parts of the year is the music. I’ve shared previously about “Pretty Paper” by Willie Nelson, and covered beautifully by Dolly Parton. But I thought I would give … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

We Can Be Heroes One of the things I’ve always wanted to do is to run a marathon. Well, I think what might be more accurate to say is that I’ve always liked the idea of running a marathon. Friends of mine have run them, and I’ve gone to see folks finish them before. I … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

Broom with a View “Can you help me?” I got out of the car and arrived at the front door of my friend’s home and saw the waves—they were little, but they were waves—lapping up and over the threshold of his door. When we walked around, our feet were submerged under the water. We moved … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

Pretty Paper It’s here, isn’t it? I knew it was here maybe for the first time yesterday, when I walked into the grocery store and there were wreathes and garlands for sale by the entrance. Like so many experiences of recollection and of knowing, it wasn’t the sight of the garlands—it was the smell. The … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

Love Somebody Else It’s time for me to share an important confession. Throughout the pandemic, I have tried a range of ways to stay occupied. I’ve shared my love of The Great British Baking Show and I’ve shared how jogging and walking have also helped. Of late, I’ve stumbled into something entirely new. Around the … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.

Wake-Up Call Once upon a time, a young man had been doing a bit of drinking in Waikiki. He was having a great time with his friends, but one by one, his friends departed until he was drinking by himself. Then the bars closed, and this young man wasn’t sure how he would get home. … Continue reading Weekly Message from Rev. T. J.