Ministry comes at a cost to the minister, and it’s a cost s/he takes on gladly, because it’s worth it to get to be a part of the daily miracles that happen in a powerful spiritual community. This is a story of a cost that a minister, and a community, should not have had toContinue reading “Donate to the Outside-the-Box Emergency/Solidarity Fund TODAY!”
Author Archives: sandhyarjha
Sermons from days long ago
Someone recently told me I have a bunch of sermons on youtube, so I thought I’d provide links to them in case you’re interested in my liberation-lite preaching. There are also a couple of audio links and a few sermon manuscripts (go figure!) Unless otherwise specified, these were preached at First Christian Church of Oakland.
Police Militarization Makes Us Less Safe: Why I Oppose Urban Shield
“Because we deserve better,” I said to every West Oakland resident I encountered. The 87-year-old lifetime resident and the 30-something hipster alike nodded sagely and said, “that’s right.” I was canvassing with my clergy colleagues, handing out flyers seeking information on the shooting of 23-month-old Hiram Lawrence, Jr. It was late November, 2011. Since then,Continue reading “Police Militarization Makes Us Less Safe: Why I Oppose Urban Shield”
Chris Brown, celebrity relationships and Domestic Violence Awareness Month
editor’s note: additions in italics “Do YOU like Chris Brown?” my then 10-year-old niece asked two years ago as she and her mom were driving somewhere. I should have noticed the inflection in her tone, but I was being hip and cool aunt Sandhya, so I said, “Yeah,” forgetting who he was and what aContinue reading “Chris Brown, celebrity relationships and Domestic Violence Awareness Month”
on beginnings and endings and just-before-endings, on love and loss and cruises
There is a lovely couple on the cruise my parents and I are taking. They’re “jus’ folk,” a Scottish compliment that I translate to “regular people.” And as quirky as my parents and I are, my parents do not put on airs (and do not forget their roots), and we really feel more at homeContinue reading “on beginnings and endings and just-before-endings, on love and loss and cruises”
On cruising and colonialism and Christian ideas of community
I’ve learned a few things on my cruise of Greece and Turkey so far: 1) Much of the area that we call Athens is actually 43 distinct municipalities. 2) The national drink of Turkey is Raki (thus confirming the argument my parents’ Libyan friend in the 1960s consistently made that the Q’uran prohibits getting intoxicated,Continue reading “On cruising and colonialism and Christian ideas of community”
Warning to Jesus, Paul and the socially conscious Christian: Your religion’s fine until you start messing with our business
A hot sun shines down on the port town of Kucadasi in Turkey today. A thriving city on the Asian side of the country, Kucadasi was well below ocean level 2,000 years ago, when the Greco-Roman city of Ephesus, at 250,000 people, was one of the biggest cities in the Roman empire. One of thoseContinue reading “Warning to Jesus, Paul and the socially conscious Christian: Your religion’s fine until you start messing with our business”
Geraldine, Jeremiah and the comedy of congregational transformation (or, The Vicar of Dibley shouldn’t make me cry and is the phrase “spiritual PTSD” hyperbolic?)
[warning–this post is transparent but not peppy; I’m hoping it resonates with other pastors who struggle in the midst of transformation efforts, but I’m happy to hear from people who’ve had much more warm and fuzzy experiences. 🙂 ] I remember watching and loving The Vicar of Dibley when I first discovered it inContinue reading “Geraldine, Jeremiah and the comedy of congregational transformation (or, The Vicar of Dibley shouldn’t make me cry and is the phrase “spiritual PTSD” hyperbolic?)”
on Kafani and Dreams Deferred and Not (and on violence, escaping it and not)
If you haven’t heard of Kafani, you’re probably not a hip hop head with a particular passion for Bay Area beats. Kafani’s a pretty respected hip hop artist with a somewhat well-known beef with Philthy Rich. He’s particularly famous right now for having been in the wrong place at the wrong time twice, both timesContinue reading “on Kafani and Dreams Deferred and Not (and on violence, escaping it and not)”
“Some people forget they were born up a close.” Why we tell our stories how we tell our stories
My mother watches me put my tea back in the microwave after it’s grown cold–a disgusting habit to her mind. “Well, you come by it honestly,” she shrugs. “Your father will make a cup of tea and sit down in his study, playing on his computer, and he’ll pick up the tea an hour laterContinue reading ““Some people forget they were born up a close.” Why we tell our stories how we tell our stories”
Sandhya Rani Jha 