Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word Many years ago, alone in my church office, I received a somewhat startling[…]
Read moreAuthor: Allison Barrett
Sing to Make the Light Come Back – a Solstice story for all ages
There was a time in worlds long ago, when nights grew dark and hope was faint and fear was everywhere.[…]
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Can We Go to Church? – a story for the blessing of the animals
In many of our congregations, some years ago, we began offering a service called “The Blessing of the Animals.” Understanding[…]
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Helping You Cry – a story of healing and help
One time a little girl was late coming home from school. When she got home, her Dad met her at[…]
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First Wedding – a story of Love for all people
At the beginning of time, the world was a sparkling rainbow of land and sea, of mountains and valleys, of[…]
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The Hidden Treasure – an ancient story re-told
Once upon a time, in a small village by the sea lived a young girl who was mostly content with[…]
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Blythe and Nick – a ceremony of self-wedding
I wrote this for my niece Blythe and her husband Nick who decided they wanted to “self-officiate” their wedding in[…]
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Dave Hanley and the Sharks
I wrote this simple ritual for the scattering of ashes for a wonderful man named Dave Hanley. Dave was the[…]
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The Art of Worship – a reading in honour of the sacred
Do you know how far back it goes? Is there some atom of your being that can remember? Some part[…]
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Remembering War, Imagining Peace – a sermon for Remembrance Day
“I was born in March of 1922 and so I was 17 when the war started. I remember it as[…]
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I’m Sorry Dear Cousin – a poem of resistance
I wrote this in the midst of the incomprehensible incumbency of he-who-shall-not-be-named, the most reprehensible human being to ever hold[…]
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Atonement – a sermon on forgiveness for Yom Kippur
Today is the day before Yom Kippur – the holiest of the High Holy Days in the Jewish calendar. It[…]
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Gender Bender – a sermon on LBGTQIA2S+ rights
Prayer for Us All Creative Spirit which bursts forth in life so varied and beautiful throughout the universe Help[…]
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Widow/Half a Bed – poems of grief
Widow It’s just the moving forward part the getting on with your life part the being grateful for what[…]
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And in the Beginning, There was Music – a reading and homily in honour of music ministry
Every year, we celebrated music ministry with more than one service devoted almost entirely to music. One year, this poem[…]
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A Father’s Love – a poem of gratitude
I wrote this after Peter died as a keepsake for the girls, my words an accompaniment to a beautiful[…]
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If No-One Had Told Them – a sermon on mental health
In writing this sermon, I became aware of a conflict within myself when it comes to talking about mental illness,[…]
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Infertility/To My Little One – poems of light amid darkness
I wrote these poems while on my long (10 year) journey to becoming a mother. Over those 10 years, we[…]
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Credo – a sermon about wrestling with belief
Song of the Open Road by Walt Whitman Afoot and light-hearted, I take to the open road. Healthy, free, the[…]
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Wearing Joanie’s Socks/Missing You Joanie – poems of longing on grieving a sister
My first real brush with grief came with the loss of my elder sister Joanie. It’s hard to describe who[…]
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Every Day Heroes – a flower communion service in honour of everyone
Opening Words The world is beautiful with a rainbow of flowers, pink, red and white and sunflowers that are[…]
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Building a Foundation – a poem of encouragement
This wasn’t actually written when we were building our cottage or re-building our house. It was written at the beginning[…]
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What the World Needs Now – a Valentine’s Day service on Love
We come here on this, Love’s Day To celebrate life For it is a gift that all of us were[…]
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My Darling One – a poem for Petey
Peter and I were married in midsummer on a beautiful day at the end of July. Every year we celebrated[…]
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No Crystal Stair – a sermon in honour of Black History Month
Let us join together in the spirit of meditation or prayer… Giver of Life Source of all Love We’ve all[…]
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Snakes and Ladders – a sermon for the ups and downs of life
Prior to today, a lot of you have asked me what is this sermon about? And the answer is simple[…]
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Say to the Darkness – a poem of hope
I wrote this at a time when a very dear heart of mine was diagnosed with what was understood at[…]
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