Nicole Pickens

It’s part of my land covenant I adopted, which I developed with help from native-land.ca 2/2

Photo of blue chicory flowers surrounded by grass and next to a sidewalk

We embrace native plants in our yard, so today I was greeted by these chicory blossoms when I stepped outside. 1/

I’m with the prescriptivists on this one, because we shouldn’t have to add explanation when we actually mean literally.

A pearl of a post among a garden of gems. Happy anniversary! 🎉

Me too

The cat food I put out for neighbors in Youngstown is already shared by felines and possums, and we’d welcome more diversity at our porch. All God’s creatures got a place in the choir, and at the buffet.

Dear Synic, I am curious how you migrate from one Synod location to another. Should we leave snacks along the route in 2028?

If not, I would crochet raccoon-size shawls. 🧶 You are an institution and must be well cared for.

Metro Parks have got to be full of your ring-tailed kin.

Crouton o’ Christ

Wait, I thought he was Captain America

I’m going to start campaigning for this

Who is the UCC’s Iron Man?

An architectural thing. It’s the center stone that holds an arch together. (recent PA transplant and nerd excited she knows the answer to a question)

This church music nerd’s heart is warmed during breaks when I recognize 🎵 recordings from previous years of #UCCSynod

The founders of PA, who nicknamed it the Keystone State, probably used laudanum as their drug of choice.

Photo of Nicole with a sign that says Penn West, and in the background is the stage set for opening worship

Obligatory selfie at the start of #UnitedChurchOfChrist General Synod – I’m excited to be a delegate for Penn West Conference!
#UCCSynod

Welcome!

Wait, not sitting “normally” is an ADHD thing? I always thought I just had that issue because I’m short. 🤔

I usually assume that means someone bricked up a doorway that they didn’t want to have anymore.

🐾.

Hypocrisy at its finest

Tell Congress: Protect Public Media! Public media is under attack — again. But this time, the threat is more serious than ever.

If you don't want to see Congress cave to Trump's desire to cut funds for public media, here's a link to write a quick letter to your senators
actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

#PublicMedia #SavePBS #ProtectPBS #FreePress

The employee told me most of my story was "positive," but I shouldn't have used that quote. She apparently confused the independent newspaper with the university's PR department.

It's always dangerous when someone wants to control the narrative to shut down anything "negative." 2/2

A university employee once complained about a story I wrote for the student newspaper about a renovation project because the story included a quote about the inconvenience students were experiencing because of it. 1/

This progressive Protestant Christian is looking forward to Saturday's protest.

Image of Battlestar Galactica seal and image of Commander William Adama, with the quote, "There's a reason you separate military and the police. One fights the enemies of the state; the other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people."

Just gonna drop this here ...

Photo of blue sky with a bank of clouds, the edge of which are wispy and rainbow colored

This rainbow cloud display in western Pennsylvania made my afternoon.

#photography
#rainbow

Juneteenth Pod Pitch Fest Get ~2 minutes to pitch yourself to members of the Feminist Podcasters Collective. This is a very quick way to get your name in front of 30+ podcasts (both those who attend live and those who watch th...

Are you a Black woman looking to be a guest on more podcasts?

Feminist Podcasters Collective is hosting a virtual pitch-fest; share your topic with 30+ pods looking for guests - June 18, 2 pm ET.

In honor of Juneteenth, only Black women are invited to pitch.

👉 Apply below (space limited to 30)