Welcome to Grace Notes! You can find an archive of my preaching and writing here. I welcome your comments and questions, as I always enjoy conversations about faith.Grace notes are actually tiny notations in classical music that indicate a quick note decorating the melody. Grace notes always lead to the main thing. In my spiritual walk, the main thing is the grace of God in Jesus. This grace is God’s unequivocal gift of acceptance and love for you and me. That’s what fuels me, and that’s what I write about.
I look forward to sharing with you and hearing from you in this blog – and I hope you find the words and ideas here to truly be Grace Notes, filled with God’s grace. – PJ
Pastor Julie is a student of yoga and a lover of singing, a low maintenance housekeeper and a potluck foodie, a wife and proud mother of two young adults, and a passionate voice for connecting faith, daily life, and scripture. Born and raised in Columbus, she studied religion and music at Oberlin College and Conservatory, and received her MDiv from Yale Divinity School. Pastor Julie served four parishes in Connecticut before returning to her Ohio roots to become Epiphany’s senior pastor.
17
Apr '22
Men in White and the Power of Remembering
17
Apr '22
Easter Sunday: Luke 24:1-12
One of my favorite movies from my teen years was the comedy Men in Black. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith play two undercover agents of the Men in Black, who monitor intergalactic immigration and regulate visits from alien life forms to Planet Earth. Of course, it is all top secret – the public would panic if
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15
Apr '22
Behold Your Mother
15
Apr '22
A few years ago, a good friend of mine almost lost her son. He was using dangerous street drugs, and even though he was in and out of treatment, could not seem to get clean. Things seemed to take a turn for the worse when he caused a terrible car accident, and wound up in prison.
As my friend coped with this new reality, she began to see the world in a different light.
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10
Apr '22
Joy and Sorrow
10
Apr '22
Palm Sunday: Luke 19:28-40, Phil 2:5-11
My mom stood at the window, looking out toward the airplane on tarmack.
Our Swedish exchange student, Karl, was boarding the plane, heading home.
There was no way he could see us, and we couldn’t see him through the tiny airplane windows,
Nonetheless, my mom was still waving.
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07
Apr '22
My First Vigil Service
07
Apr '22
I remember my first Easter Vigil. The bonfire and silence; the long service of readings and the flickering of the candles. We were in a small chapel with so many candles and people crammed in that we were dying of heat. It seemed to go on forever. Story after story of the faith was told, by youth, by adults, by the elderly. Finally, we moved from the chapel to the narthex, right outside the sanctuary of the church. The font was there, ready for baptism. Another person’s life was to be wrapped into the stories of faith.
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