Inspirations Blog
A multimedia collection of stories, learnings, reflections, and resources from the people and ministries of Juniper Formation.
Our Ongoing Emancipation from Violence
What is the cost of our disregard for healthy, loving relationships? A child lost, abandoned, and abused by their community will destroy it in an attempt to find the acceptance, connection, and the care they need.
Celebration. Affirmation. Pride.
This month, we are celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month and Open & Affirming Sunday (6/27). We are a congregation that centers LGBTQ+ individuals and families in the life, leadership, and sacraments of our faith community. Juniper Formation was co-created as an Open and Affirming ministry, and officially became an Open and Affirming (ONA) church number 1690 within the…
Reflections on becoming a "local church"
It is a common experience for people at the margins of the Church to work hard to be seen, experienced, and accepted, all while being ready to give everything up. By everything, I mean our faith and relationships within and to the Church. The stakes are far too high for the Church not to be continually self-interrogating its discomfort with new forms of ministry and new embodiments of ministers.
Juneteenth!
This Saturday will be the first national Juneteenth celebration in the United States, representing one way that we formally celebrate Black liberation together. And also, while we celebrate this milestone, we acknowledge that there is still so much work to be done to ensure Black liberation becomes a reality. For today, tomorrow, and the next day, we continue the work and ministry of liberation for all of God's children.
Expectancy: A baby, a new church, and new ministries!
Keith and I are excited to share with you that we are expecting a baby boy sometime around July 7th!As a new church start founder about to go on parental leave, I am excited to invite our team of lay and staff leaders to fully take over soon! ... This year has been filled with expectancy around our baby, the birth of Juniper Formation as a church, and new ministries like ReFrame and our monthly Gatherings. Keep reading for invitations to join us in celebrating all three of these “births.”
Removing the Targets from One Another’s Backs
The expressions "I feel like we have a target on our backs" or "It's open season on us" viscerally proclaim the real suffering, fear, and trauma that Black and African American people are experiencing at the hands of the police, legal system, and white supremacy culture within our communities.This week, many of us sit in grief and fear, preparing to take loving action. We are in the company of Job, a man who lost his beloveds and who names this suffering, fear, and targeting in ways that are ancient, ancestral, and yet still present to us today.
There is Only Home
Acts of love and betrayal are ways in which we relate to one another and God, even if we don’t like to admit to the betrayal part. Such disparate actions in tension as we navigate what love really means. Sometimes in our attempts at love we unintentionally cause harm others out of fear, pain, jealousy, greed, power, and trauma.
Join us in daily centering practice for Holy Week
Daily, Maundy Thursday - Easter, April 1-4, 12:30 - 1:00 pm Mountain Time. When you click on the “Zoom link & registration page” you can register for one or more days of Holy Week and automatically add them to your calendar.
5th week of Lent: I will because we love
There are not prayers or words enough this week. There is only action; love in action.
4th Week of Lent: I've Decided to Choose Freedom
We’ve released worship music videos with lyrics for each song on the “Speak Boldly” album by Jenny LaJoye. You can find these worship music videos on our Juniper Formation YouTube Channel, and more easily in this “Speak Boldly” YouTube playlist.
3rd Week of Lent: Blessed Are the Saints among Us
The lectionary reading that week was Luke 6:17-26 (the beatitudes). I wanted to use this popular set of blessings to remind this congregation that though they be worried, though they be exhausted, though they have uncertainty about their future as a church...their roots and tradition and belovedness run much deeper than they know.
Together We Will Gather
When you attend a Juniper Formation Gathering, you are an active participant in yours and others’ faith formation and spiritual life. Every time we gather, we are building faithful relationships with one another and God. As a “priesthood of all believers” our faith community is made up of movement leaders and people in ministry…