When was the last time I spent an entire day at home with my daughter, Temma, just the two of us? It’s been awhile. And, thus, not much time writing either, beside sermons, e-devotions, and newsletter articles. I have returned to full-time pastor work after five years working part-time in the church. When I was […]
Author Archives: Sherrie R. Lowly
My husband Tim and I met in an intentional Christian community in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We lived together in large households with other folks, pooled all of our resources together, worshiped, prayed, and shared our lives together. Tim and I were married in the community and the community surrounded us and held us up when […]
I wonder if I’ll ever become disciplined enough to write a blog post once a week or even once every other week? I wonder if I will ever be able to complete my book project? I take a long time and go very slowly (that’s my name, S. Lowly!). The same is true of my […]
“I’m angry,” I said to Tim. We were driving to the nearby movie theater. “Why are you angry? Did I do something that you’re angry about?” was his quick reply. “No, I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at my lack of control over where I’m at right now.” Tim began sharing his experiences of […]
“Here’s what I have to say to American liberals and leftists: instead of listening to the strategists, who don’t believe it’s possible to dramatically change our society, can we finally be bold and listen to the artists and the outsiders and the radicals and the freaks and the avant-garde and the base and the youth […]

The World Series Chicago Cubs vs. the Cleveland Ball Club, the 2016 presidential election Trump vs. Clinton, and the dilemma of my church charge – close the church and merge vs. close the church and go our separate ways; these three “battles”, options, competitions are becoming entangled in my mind and heart. The emotional ups […]
It’s September already. September holds a bittersweet spot in my heart. September 5, 1981 is the date that Sherrie Rubingh married Tim Grubbs and they took up the new family name of Lowly (the name change happened legally a few weeks later). Here is a photo on our wedding day. I was talking to an […]
Some of my sermon ponderings from yesterday: “Here now is the one who did not make God her stronghold but trusted in great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!” But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. ” Psalm […]
I used the word “bigot” once, actually called out the people across the street from where I stood on a platform in front of a crowd of protesters against Prop 8. I was asked by a dear friend to rise and say something to the crowd as a representative of the church. The word “bigot” […]
(In the photo my mom and I are looking at one of Tim’s paintings of my daughter Temma, titled “Bower” when it was hanging in the Grand Rapids Art Museum in 2014’s Art Prize exhibition.) I had the opportunity to spend some extended time with my mom a couple weekends ago when I was in […]