Tag Archives: Joy

19 Feel Good Shows Streaming in May 2023

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

I’m writing a series of blog posts with TV recommendations for church because sometimes church is about joy for joy’s sake. For the first post, we’re staying right with the joy with a list of shows that are accessible, easy … Continue reading →

Posted in Pop Culture | Tagged Feel Good, Joy, Pleasure, Reviews, Shows, TV | Leave a comment

Top 21 Shows of 2021 acccording to Sara & Gretchen

Posted on January 20, 2022 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

My best fellow binge-watcher Sara Steen and I worked really hard in our tv watching in 2021. It was a sacrifice, but somehow we managed! And from that work we have created a list of the top 21 shows of … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Reflections, Pop Culture | Tagged 2021, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Britbox, Fun, HBO, Hulu, Joy, Netflix, Pleasure, Pop Culture, Reviews, Shows, Streaming, Top, TV, TV Shows, Year End Best | Leave a comment

Quick Fix Shows (15 great shows that are 30 minutes or less)

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

I know, I usually post poems and sermons and other churchy things. But sometimes it’s fun to take a break and share about my other obsession: shows. This post was inspired by a question by a church member, who asked … Continue reading →

Posted in Pop Culture | Tagged Culture, Fun, Hulu, Joy, Laughter, Netflix, Pop Culture, Shows, TV Shows | Leave a comment

Endgame – a message for the Sunday after the 2020 election

Posted on November 8, 2020 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

Reading: V’ahavta by Aurora Levins Morales Homily It’s about five episodes into the new Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit when one of the characters, Harry, presses the main character, Beth: What’s your endgame? She looks at him blankly, a little … Continue reading →

Posted in Justice, Sermons | Tagged Awareness, Beloved Community, Chess, Community, Courageous Love, Democracy, Discernment, Election, Eschatology, ethics, Faith, Gratitude, Inheritance, Instinct, Joy, Justice, Love, Moral, Moral Arc, Morality, Motivation, Neighbors, Partners, Plan, Planning, Politics, Queen's Gambit, Rejoice, Sermon, Sermons, The Queen's Gambit, Theology, Trump, Vincent Harding, Vote | Leave a comment

Back to Life – Easter 2020

Posted on April 12, 2020 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

Text: Mary Oliver’s Messenger Mark’s Gospel Chapter 16 Homily Last night as I kissed my daughter’s forehead, she felt hot. In normal times I’d just think: “Teenager. Day in the sun, no big deal.” But this is not a normal time. So … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged Change, Courage, Death, Easter, Hope, Jesus, Joy, Life, Rebirth, Resilience, Resurrection, Transformation | Leave a comment

Lose Your To Do List

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

Reading: Ross Gay’s Loitering Sermon: Lose Your To-Do List Growing up, I learned a special way to mark time at this time of year. Even better than the “Christmas Countdown app.” I learned to mark time with an Advent Calendar. … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged Advent, Fun, Joy, Priorities, Slow, Slow Down, Time, Time Management | Leave a comment

Shows, a Sabbatical Story

Posted on August 11, 2019 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

I trace my love affair with TV to Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd. Moonlighting ran from when I was 10 to 14, a time when I had a super small TV in my bedroom. Before I even knew it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Reflections | Tagged Joy, Pleasure, Pop Culture, Queer, Sabbath, Sabbatical, Television | 1 Comment

Summer Fruit

Posted on August 8, 2019 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

Last night I watched my daughter sleep with her hands raised over her head, she filled the bed with her body, teenaged, and fearlessly unfurled – I saw her infant arms, surrendered similarly, and the prayers in my mouth, habits … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged Change, children, Joy, Justice, motherhood, nature, Parenthood, Parenting, poem, Poetry, Race, Racial Justice | 1 Comment

Telling the Stories of Sabbatical

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

I’m nearing the end of my nearly-15 week sabbatical. My first, after 7 years serving Foothills through major transitions, occasional upheaval, a big surge in (numerical, organizational, spiritual) growth, and the election of 2016 (aka liberal existenstial crisis). All of … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog Reflections, Personal Stories | Tagged Fun, Joy, play, Sabbath, Sabbatical, Stories, Story, Time | Leave a comment

Growing in Generosity

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Rev. Gretchen Haley

Story “The Gift” Sermon “Growing in Generosity” In her book, Packing for Mars, Mary Roach shares that in the very first space station, the engineers realized they wouldn’t need tables. Because, no gravity meant you couldn’t sit down, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged Delight, Generosity, Giving, Gratitude, Joy, Stewardship, Thanksgiving | Leave a comment