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"The clarity, grace, good-humor, and profound wisdom of this book is matchless. There are echoes of many great thinkers and theologians in their words, and at the same time, the way they share their thoughts and feelings is conversational and accesible, and unfailingly courageous, candid, and honest. Together and separately, they address some of the most pressing pscyo-spiritual issues in our universally human and uniquely American lives with a combination of vigor and kindness that leaves me feeling stirred, stretched, and deeply cared about." These words of Jeremy Taylor, noted Jungian scholar and dream analyst captures this collection of reflections on the journey of the spirit. The book is a collection of sermons delivered at the United Church of Gainesville, Florida, a congregation that is innovative, open and willing to try about anything.

These sermons reflect the informal motto of the chrch, cross-stitched and framed in the church foyer, "It's not like this every Sunday." And that's true of every Sunday.

David Hackett, chair of the University of Florida department of religion says of this book, "Where there is no vision,' Proverbs tells us (29:18), 'the people perish.' For many years now Larry Reimer and Sandy Reimer have offered that prophetic vision to the people of Gainesville, Florida's United Church, and the congregation has thrived. The Reimers' words provide insights for all of us on our deepening journey home."

It’s been said that every story begins one of two ways: “A stranger came to town…” or “We set out on a journey.” This book is about a journey home. That home is a distant image that God seems to have implanted deep in our hearts, our true home. Our longing for this home is born from God’s deep longing for us.

I have a few assumptions about the journey. First is that we’re all a little lost. That’s not a bad thing. In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron says, “One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” We’re on this journey because at some point we set out on a path of discovery that involved losing sight of the shore.

Second, we don’t find our way home by way we left. There’s a moment in the Gospel of Matthew’s Christmas story where Herod tells the Magi that if they find this child born to be King of the Jews, he would like them to stop by and see him on their way back home, so he too can go worship the child. After the Magi discover the baby Jesus, they remember Herod’s request and realize his reason wanting to visit the child sounds a little fishy. They decide to go home by another way.

Third, the home we seek to return to is one we’ve never been to before. The journey is circular, like a Zen koan. One of the root meanings of the word religion is to rebind. Our journey into faith is an attempt to rebind ourselves to what once was, but that now must be different.