Star Words

Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • January 3, 2023

Star Words to Guide Us Into 2023

Each new year brims with opportunities for fresh starts, new beginnings, and renewals. As we begin 2023, many of us will compose a list of behaviors we will resolve to improve upon in the year to come, such as losing weight, exercising more, taking up a new hobby, eating more vegetables, or finishing a project. Some resolutions may come from superficial concerns -- to look better, to earn more, to achieve recognition -- but what if our fresh start began from a spiritual place, one of curiosity, wonder, hope, and surrender? What if we based our plan for looking ahead and making changes on something beyond our limited vision of the future? 


In this service we present the first of three "Star Words" themed services to introduce a prayer practice for the new year and Epiphany. Just as the wise men followed a guiding star to encounter the newborn Jesus, we can let Star Words help us navigate into the new year and beyond. 


The Star Words we will share represent a list of guiding words to inspire spiritual connection and support for our intentions for renewal and growth. We will have these words printed individually on beautiful cards so you may take one or more with you to place prominently in your home, car, office --wherever you know you will see it often. Throughout this year, may these words serve as a guide, a reminder, and focal point for reflecting on the many ways God moves through, within, and around you in your life.


Will you be part of the Star Words journey? Join us.

Paths to Belonging

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • March 16, 2026
This Sunday, we continue our Lenten journey with the theme of belonging. The National Institutes of Health recognizes belonging as a fundamental human need that shapes our mental, physical, and social well-being. One of the insights from our Greenhouse Challenge was the recognition that many people in the U.S. are experiencing loneliness. In response, The Garden has been exploring what it means to belong—not just socially, but spiritually and communally. During worship, we’ll check in with Scott Semester to hear how our grant initiative may help us create spaces of sanctuary—places where people feel seen, safe, and truly at home. Our Scripture this week, Ecclesiastes 4:12, reminds us that “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Belonging is not just about individual strength—it’s about the resilience we find in connection. When we walk together, support one another, and share our lives, we become stronger than we ever could be alone. May we continue to weave lives of compassion, curiosity, and courage—threads that bind us to one another and to the sacred truth that we belong.

Be Curious

By Matthew Vire • March 11, 2026
Paths to Belonging

Rooted in Memories

March 10, 2026
Hogeye Navvy Takes Over The Garden

Walking Toward a Deeper Spirit

By Betty Brandt • March 7, 2026
Discover the spiritual practice of labyrinth walking during Lent and join upcoming community walks that invite reflection, prayer, and renewed presence.

A Sacred Overlap: Ramadan and Lent Together

By Betty Brandt • March 7, 2026
A rare overlap of Ramadan and Lent invites Muslims and Christians into shared prayer, hospitality, and community during this once‑in‑a‑generation season.

Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand

By Matthew Vire • March 5, 2026
Is the "ripple effect" real? Explore how faith, Diana Ross, and peer-reviewed research prove that your smallest acts of kindness can change the world.

Be You

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • March 4, 2026
Living Waters

Be Here. Be You. Belong.

By Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • February 23, 2026
Join us this Sunday as we embark on a transformative journey during Lent—our season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. This year, our theme is "Be Here. Be You. Belong." Our world is filled with distractions pulling us in every direction, so we often miss the profound significance of simply being present. This week, we will explore what it means to Be Here Now, to pause and embrace the moment as we deepen our connection with God. Together, we will delve into the wisdom of Brother Lawrence, whose insights on practicing the presence of God turned everyday tasks into sacred experiences. Let’s rediscover the holiness in the mundane and learn how to cultivate a spirit of mindfulness in our lives. Don’t miss this opportunity to reflect, grow, and engage more deeply with your faith. Join us as we journey together towards Easter, finding our place in God’s presence. See you Sunday!

The Beauty

By Matthew Vire • February 23, 2026
As we continue our journey through Paths to Belonging, David Wilcox’s "The Beautiful" offers a tender companion for times we feel overwhelmed and weary. David opens the song in a museum, an unexpected refuge where beauty offers a kind of shelter from a world that feels tragic and too heavy to hold. He names a truth many of us carry: that in the “ocean deep,” when the waves of sorrow or fear rise, our most dearly-held hopes and even our faith can feel thin. And he reminds us that beauty–quiet, ordinary, human beauty–can help steady us. A smile from a stranger, a moment of kindness, a glimpse of light and shadow can warm the heart enough to keep going. We invite you to listen and spend a few moments reflecting on the feelings, images, and memories the song evokes in you. Remember you are not alone and that belonging reveals itself in simple, grace-filled moments of human connection and Divine presence.

Surviving the Desert

By Matthew Vire • February 17, 2026
The Garden welcomes Josh Riddick for a message on justice, faith, and how Jesus’ desert journey offers courage and clarity for our moment.