"Many peoples shall come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.'" - Isaiah 2:3 A mountaintop is the House of God,a place of mystery. A mountaintop lacks human homes,for it is foreign ground.

Join the UCC Washington D.C. Office for a conversation on Project 2025 and how the policy landscape and the UCC’s faith-based responses have evolved over the past year since the election. By…

November 23, 2025 Jeremiah 23:1-6Luke 23:33-43 The common waxbills may be the smallest birds in Hawai’i – meaning how big the adults get. Newly hatched chicks even of very large birds can be smaller. But if you see a very small bird with a rosy beak, it’s likely to be a common waxbill. They like to eat the small seeds of grasses and herbs, and they tend to move about in flocks of anywhere from a pair up to thirty or forty birds.

And the people stood by watching, but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" - Luke 23:35 I sometimes ache for your pain, O Savior,tortured there upon the cross,and I, without the mocking, echo thosecruel words of long ago, and urge you, "Save yourself!"

The capital city is Finnish’ed with car-related fatalities.

November 16, 2025 Isaiah 65:17-252 Thessalonians 3:6-13 It’s been a while since I’ve talked about nene school, which hasn’t changed what’s gone on there a bit. Goslings have gone to school, they’ve learned about advanced eating and flying, and some of them have wondered about becoming nene teachers themselves. There was a time when there were just two nene teachers.

"This was not because we do not have that right but in order to give you an example to imitate." - 2 Thessalonians 3:9 We have the right to claim whatever we want.We say.We have the right to say offensive thingsand sneer at those who hear.We have the right to say to one, "Go here,"and to another, "Go there,"

November 9, 2025 Haggai 2:1-92 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 Life isn’t always easy in the mountain forests. Sometimes it gets really wet and uncomfortable, and while feathers are pretty good at keeping you warm and dry, they’re not perfect. Sit in the rain long enough, and an i'iwi will feel pretty cold and wet. Worse, though, is when it gets dry, because the trees and the plants rely on water.

"He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you?" - 2 Thessalonians 2:4-5 I remember lots of things.I remember grandiosity and pride.I recall my own, of course,

Honu in water Honu (not actually) in naupaka November 2, 2025 Isaiah 1:10-18Luke 19:1-10 When was the last time you saw a honu up a tree? Never? Well, I never have either. It’s not a natural place for a honu to be. A honu really prefers to be in water, like the honu in this picture. Unfortunately, one day a honu found herself in a tree.

"So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way." - Luke 19:4 I didn't think my hands could grip so tight.I also didn't think I'd ever be this high.So let's be clear that I regret this choice.I wish I hadn't scaled these heights. Were I to fall, the people down below…

October 26, 2025 Ephesians 1:11-23Luke 6:20-31 I remember a good number of things. I also forget a good number of things. Some of them I’m happy to forget, especially if they made me unhappy at the time. Some of them I wish I could remember, especially if they involve the question of where did I put down my keys?