With all due respect to the probably good-hearted and most certainly earnest people who have created the various and sundry surveys that have gone out into various portions of the Mennonite Church USA world–ahhhrrrgggghhh! Yet another survey is out today–this one for those who will serve as delegates in Kansas City this summer. It is…
Some of you may find this hard to believe, but I enjoy being in conversation with conservative Mennonites (at least the ones who don’t condemn me to hell as they bludgeon me with Leviticus). When I find the right dialog partners–or they find me–and when I listen well and open myself to the Holy Spirit,…
Here are a few excerpts from this past Sunday’s sermon on Acts 15–a.k.a. The Jerusalem Council. My fifteen-year-old informs me that she was trying to read during the sermon, “But then you got loud.” I’m afraid you won’t be able to experience the full effect of my pulpit pounding–you’ll just have to use your imaginations.…
A couple of years ago at a conference, a mutual friend introduced me to an editor of a denominational magazine. The editor promptly said, “Oh. You’re the notorious pastor.” I did feel like a minor (very minor) celebrity at that conference in the wake of news stories about “the wedding” and “the review.” That would…
True to form, I haven’t packed yet for the national Mennonite convention in Phoenix. I have, however, been avoiding pink clothes this week to make sure they are clean when I do pack. Because once again I will be joining with other Pink Mennos to bear witness to our denomination–witness to the hurt and exclusion…
I came across a bit of validation for this little blog series the other day. In Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, Eugene Peterson writes, “We cannot be too careful about the words we use; we start out using them and they end up using us.” All of this thinking about how to talk to…
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…
Lots of people disagree with my biblical interpretation regarding homosexuality (among other things). As a pastor who has officiated a wedding for two women, I’ve had the biblical conversation many times. I told my husband this morning that I could exegete those “gay” passages in my sleep. But beyond the question of biblical interpretation, another…
Based on some of the responses to the story I posted yesterday, I want to make a clarifying note here before I get on with my Saturday morning. I do not feel shamed. And I am not a victim. I did what I did of my own free will, understanding the potential consequences. While many…
Almost two years ago now, I received a tentative email from a young woman asking if she could have her upcoming wedding at our church. She and her fiance were Christian. They wanted a church wedding, and a friend had told her that she might be able to get married at Peace Mennonite in Lawrence.…
Spacious Faith 