This is another phrase that can be heard coming from all sides of the conversation. I personally heard it a lot at the Western District Conference assembly. Problematic phrase #4: It’s not personal. The bottom line is that this phrase is problematic because it is simply not true. For more detailed reflections, see the blog…
This is the second post in a series about phrases I find unhelpful as church folk talk about how to include LGBT people. There is only one phrase addressed here, because it is something that is said by people on all sides of the issue. Problematic phrase #3: The church has more important things to…
As I talk with different people about how to include sexual minorities in the church, there are certain words and phrases that get repeated. And many of them are not helpful. You probably won’t be surprised to know that I have a pretty long list of things we need to quit saying to each other.…
Several people have asked how I feel about being “at variance.” I think that having the note on my Ministerial Leadership Information form is a reasonable consequence of the choice I made. And for some of the people in Western District Conference, all they wanted was for me to have some sort of consequence for…
Here’s the much-anticipated run-down of Saturday’s fun–Western District Conference style: We had “learning communities” (a.k.a. workshops) in the morning. I managed to avoid the communities about sexuality and the church, thus giving myself about three hours this weekend where I did not have to talk or hear about “the issue” (a.k.a. people I love who…
On Saturday, July 7, at 12:45, many people will gather together at the Western District Conference assembly for prayer. We will pray and sing and hear scripture together in preparation for the afternoon delegate session. For those who are not in Oklahoma City this weekend and would like to pray with us, here is the…
I’m headed to Oklahoma City this morning for our Western District Conference assembly. I go surrounded by love and supported in prayer. Tomorrow (Saturday) at 12:45 we will have a time of worship before the delegate sessions. Those who will be at the conference are invited to join us there. Those not attending are welcome…
My prayer practice this morning was a combination of Praying with Color and Zen Doodling. The upcoming Western District Conference is on my mind, so I spent time in prayer for that event and for some of the people connected with it. To engage in this practice, you will need a piece of paper, a…
If you are of a certain age, you might remember “Church Chat” on Saturday Night Live. Dana Carvey’s character, the Church Lady, manifested all of the stereotypes of old, religious women. She thought very highly of herself and quite poorly of everyone else. I can imagine being interviewed by the Church Lady: “So, you married…
One of my sabbatical projects is to develop a Rule of Life—a set of principles and practices that will guide me, that will under-gird the busyness of life with a holy rhythm and a focus on Christ. You won’t be surprised to know that I’ve also been spending significant time these past weeks reading, writing,…
Spacious Faith 