Community Conversations

06/09/2026

It's been great to reconnect with Leslie Martinez from the The Grieving Youth And Families Of The Merrimack Valley through our initiatives after having grown up together at the Hancock Projects in Lawrence, MA. This weekend I was able to see her as well as a few other friends we grew up with at the .

If you’re looking for an organization to support, please check out Grieving Youth and Families of the Merrimack Valley. Leslie could use help, support, and community encouragement. For more information, find her on FB or email her at: [email protected].

06/09/2026

Board Members Needed

Our friends at The Grieving Youth And Families Of The Merrimack Valley are currently recruiting new board members. Founder Leslie Martinez has been tirelessly working to provide support to individuals and families who have experienced loss. This is much needed in the community and Leslie needs help!

The organization is looking to strengthen their board, and they have two open slots. There will also be an upcoming board training in July.

I truly believe in the mission of this organization, and I’ll be collaborating with them on a couple of projects over the next few months.

If you have a heart for grief support, families, youth, and the Merrimack Valley community, please reach out to Leslie for more info: [email protected].

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we remember and honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom(s).

As a community initiative devoted to grief support, we also hold space for the loved ones who carry the weight of those losses each day.🙏🏽

05/17/2026

One of the greatest honors of being a chaplain and funeral celebrant is getting the opportunity to preside over people’s services and help families tell the story of someone they love and miss.

As and we become keepers of people’s stories and in some small way, living extensions of their legacy.

I often find myself feeling like I missed out, especially when I never had the chance to meet the person whose service I’m presiding over in real life. Would’ve loved to have witnessed some of their antics, their humor, their quirks and their personalities in real time…

Yesterday I presided over a service for a woman who was 93 years old. She loved music by and . During the service, we played a couple of their songs, including “El Paso” – a tragic about love, jealousy, regret, and longing. A cowboy falls in love with a woman named Feleena at Rosa’s Cantina in El Paso, kills another cowboy in a jealous gunfight, flees into New Mexico, and eventually returns because his love for her is stronger than his fear of death… only to die in her arms after one final kiss. OMG how tragic AND..... dramatic!

Reminded me of a Mexican ranchera.

Every person who passes away leaves something behind…a story, a song, a perspective, memories…

Thinking of you Beautiful Miss B and this whole musical genre I’m now discovering (I promise not to get UGLY on you)!

Marty Robbins performed "El Paso" live on The Drifter in 1965.

05/17/2026

! Shout out to the folks at The Resolution Center!

Yesterday, a group of us completed 's 36-hour Basic Mediation Training. We came from different walks of life but we all showed up wanting to learn how to better handle difficult conversations and help people move through conflict in healthier, more productive ways.

As a chaplain and even in my personal life - I’ve witnessed countless times how tension, grief, trauma, and even simple miscommunication can escalate from the smallest situations. We can all use better conflict-resolution skills no matter what sector we're in. I would recommend checking out the and keeping an eye out for their upcoming training schedule.

Not gonna lie though - the training is intense! For me, that meant balancing the training along with working full time, taking 3 graduate level seminary classes (during finals!!!) and keeping up with household responsibilities. It was most certainly a stretch, but I'm a glutton for punishment and it was definitely worth it! A lot of work, but a lot of too and definitely all love! ❤️ Angie

05/15/2026

05/11/2026

Thinking of all the moms today. The ones who are mothers, the ones who have been “like moms”, the ones who are missing their moms and the ones being remembered with love. Repost from

05/11/2026

Recently, while presiding over a service for an absolutely beautiful woman , I came across a quote written by her mother - Bunny. Bunny wrote these words after she lost her own mother many years ago.

As we move through Mother’s Day weekend, remember that it’s okay to hold space for many emotions at once. You might shed a tear or two...but also remember to laugh, to celebrate, to reminisce and above all, to be deeply grateful.

Thinking of you all on Mother’s Day. ❤️

05/03/2026

Who has left a lasting imprint in your life, your mind or your heart? It could be a friend, a mentor, someone you admired from afar, or even someone who came into your life for just a moment. It doesn’t have to be incredibly profound either 😊 we’d just love to know! ❤️