Shared on March 29th, 2017

Thank you all for coming, and having me to share my faith journey.

When I was writing this, I said to myself I have to shorten this, otherwise I will be writing a book here. Because my faith journey started right from the womb, full of testimonies and wonder, worshiping the power of God. I see this presence around me all the time.

My parents had me late in life. My mom was almost 50 years old, when there was no medical breakthrough of in-vitro fertilization, so God was at work here!… [Read More]

Shared on March 15ht, 2017

I am here this evening because of my parents, three amazing women, a Rock Opera and an 18^th century preacher from Epworth, Lincolnshire.

Let’s start with my parents – which makes sense – as that’s where I got started…  My faith journey begins with them at West Barrington Methodist.  Church was in many ways the center of my parents’ lives.  It was not just their spiritual life, it was their social life. They served on committees, and served church dinners, my father raised money for our fellowship and literally helped raise the roof of the church to enlarge the community space. … [Read More]

Shared on March 8th, 2017

John 20:24-29 – New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Appears to Thomas

²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus^[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.… [Read More]

I know Rebecca has had me on her mind for doing a Lenten Reflection for a while now.  I think my friend Claudia may have intervened to give me a reprieve last year. But, my willingness to share my journey is purely a reflection of the immense gratitude I feel being so graciously welcomed here at Central.

So, first let me offer a little biographical information for you. I am originally from New Hampshire. We settled there after my dad retired from the Navy. I now live in Smithfield with my dog Nellie and am a divorced mother of two grown children.… [Read More]

Thank you, Rebecca, for suggesting that I share my faith journey and my care for Central Congregational Church during this Lenten reflection. It was an unexpected gift to be asked.

My older brother Rick in NH and younger sister Jane in TX, heartily agree with me that we could not separate our faith from our daily life. You live your faith every day, whether appreciating the wonders of God’s glorious world or seeking guidance in the centuries’ old wisdom of the Bible, or caring for others, your faith grows and evolves with you.… [Read More]

Lenten meditation 2015 Beverly Haviland

I want to thank Rebecca for inviting me to share some thoughts about my faith journey—I really like this metaphor—and how I got to be here today with you. I also want to thank Diane Hoffman-Kim, who so kindly offered to play for us and to learn a new hymn, which we’ll sing later.

I’m going to begin with an autobiographical sketch and then move on to the issues that concern me today.

After my parents were divorced, I went to a school that was Episcopalian, probably more because it fit in with my now single mother’s work schedule than because of her beliefs.… [Read More]