Inspirations Blog
A multimedia collection of stories, learnings, reflections, and resources from the people and ministries of Juniper Formation.
Sunday Supremacy: The Devil is in the Details
Don't be afraid to ask for what you need—or even what you want.But when what you think you need and want come at the cost of others' lives, you are no longer acting in faith.
This is the evil of supremacy, lurking inside, convincing you that you are more important, worthy, and powerful than another child of God.
Prophetic prayer in the time of COVID-19
"I was invited by Rev. Del Phillips to offer a prayer today as one of 13 clergy from Denver to launch Pray Act Trust—30 days of noontime prayer and action in response to COVID-19. One of the people who offered a public prayer on the call today specifically named homosexuality and abortion as sins for which we need forgiveness...These words and this theology are violent, and they do not reflect a loving God who made us in God’s own image. There is no place for such hate and violence in our shared prayer life."
The Power of Naming Spiritual Gifts In One Another
"Understanding our spiritual gifts is about knowing and experiencing ourselves as sacred. We are active participants in relationship to our God who works with, through, and among us. It is a relationship of integration, not reprobation. We are insiders, not outsiders to the Holy Spirit. Spiritual gifts matter, because they are how we relate to God through one another."
Collared: Embracing Resistance
My choice to wear a collar for Lent is a counter-cultural, intentional spiritual practice for my formation as a minister in the Wider Church and World. Particularly as I am not pastor to one congregation, but in ministry with multiple, changing congregations and communities. As a result, my ministerial identity and role is adaptive—constantly modulating to different contexts. This means that I can more easily blend in to my everyday surroundings, almost like a comical progressive clergy “super power,” that is actually not so super if you want to be missional.
What Does the Holy Spirit Feel Like?
...These are not textbook definitions of how the scripture or theologians describe the Holy Spirit, although they rightly could be. These are the real life experiences of the Holy Spirit from everyday Christians. The Creator’s Truth abiding in each one of them. This is the Holy Spirit alive in the progressive Church...
Confessional Relationship Blessed with Ash and Oil
...Christ invites us to journey through the ash together—not retain our sin or remain in our grief. This process of moving through the ash requires our small faith to grow larger, demands that we know and accept ourselves as sacred, and expects us to use our gifts and talents to be healers within our relationships to one another, and especially with the stranger...
A Lenten Relational Discernment Process
We start with the Ash Wednesday Service, this week on February 26th, at 7 pm, at Park Hill UCC in Denver, where we will engage one-to-one relational confession, imposition of ashes combined with anointing with Juniper Formation's Prophetic Renewal anointing oil. Together, we seek to respond to God's Call through drawing closer to God and one another, deepening our spiritual practices and awareness, and revitalizing the ministries of the Church.With support and permission from PHUCC, I'll be live blogging throughout the process. Our shared hope is that this will provide: 1) Ongoing reflection and engagement with the congregation, and inclusion for those who may not be able to be physically present for all parts of the process; and 2) An opportunity for a wider audience to learn more in depth about Juniper Formation's approach.
2019 Annual Video
Juniper Formation’s first Annual Video (annual report), including: our story of becoming, what we’ve done in our first year of ministry, and how you can join our mission of prophetically reimagining the Church.
Speech at United Church of Christ General Synod
Rev. Dr. Jenny Whitcher gives the renomination speech for the United Church of Christ General Minister and President Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer at the UCC General Synod 31 in June 2019.
Sermon: Abiding in the Creator's Womb, Part 2
“God is calling the Church to do a new thing, to change, to life, and to prophetic ministry…God was not finished with Elijah. Even in Elijah’s exhaustion and resignation to death, God saw new life. And in the same way, God is not finished with the Church. Known as the teacher of prophets, Elijah would go on from this juniper tree encounter with God to do to even more prophetic ministry.In a similar manner, Juniper Formation will midwife the prophetic reimagining of the Church, by becoming a space and community for renewal, courage, and formation for prophetic ministry and action.”Reflections on John 6:51-58 and 1 Kings 19:1-10 and Juniper Formation’s mission of prophetically reimagining the Church.
Sermon: Abiding in the Creator's Womb, Part 1
“Regardless of the Christian Church’s theological meaning making of this particular claim Jesus makes [that “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life”], this passage still remains viscerally…unappetizing.But haven’t we have all had this kind of visceral experience: in our mother’s womb.”Reflections on John 6:51-58 and Dr. Astrid Lobo Garjiwala’s essay, “The Passion of the Womb: Women Re-Living the Eucharist,” published in the book, The Strength of Her Witness: Jesus Christ in the Global Voices of Women, edited by Elizabeth A. Johnson.