Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20): “What is happening at the border has gone beyond a political issue and has become a moral issue.” How in the world was this Austin TX-based retired clergy person hearing these words from Congressman Castro, in the midst of dozens of clergy colleagues, in the hall of the First Presbyterian Church in McAllen…
Multi: The Chemistry of Church Diversity By Paul Nixon When Paul Nixon’s most famous book — I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church — came into my pastor world, I so appreciated its congregational vitality message that the title became one of my own ministry mantras. So, I looked forward to reading and reviewing his…
[This essay was originally published as “The Pastoral is Political: Woman Card, Man Card, Winning Card” for RevGalBlogPals during the 2016 presidential election. The meeting with the church leader took place at a pizza place in the Oregon District in Dayton OH, a favorite meeting place for downtown workers. Early Sunday August 4, the Oregon District…
Denial is My Spiritual Practice (And Other Failures of Faith) is a collection of personal essays written by two United Church of Christ clergywomen, Rachel Hackenberg and Martha Spong. They are my colleagues and my dear friends. When they collaborate, good things happen, so I have been anticipating this book. I received a review copy…
[From the five-year-ago me. This essay was originally published March 14, 2013 on Political Theology Network.] My first call to pastoral ministry came to me when I was eight years old. It was everything a call to ministry should be: in a church worship service, kneeling at the altar on a Sunday night, candle light and…
Workplace harassment is all over the news. A wide variety of workplaces have been exposed as former havens of violating personal space and suspending professional ethics. The church, of course, has its own harassment stories. Have we listened for them? As a mentor to clergy, and as the convener of the Ask the Matriarch feature for…
In the chaos of this time we threw up our hands and screamed we hid in the house and binged on mindless TV we went on with our lives with singular determination to work harder and avoid the coming catastrophe “Give us joy!” and “Give us faith!” they shouted Not our own authentic voice Not…
In exchange for my review, I received a giveaway copy of Bible Sisters: A Year of Devotions with the Women of the Bible. To enter the giveaway, send an email to revmama (at) gmail (dot) com with “Bible Sisters” in the subject line. Send your email before 8:00 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, May 21.…
The Soul Work of the Resistance Community Isaiah 65:17-25; Luke 21:5-19 A sermon preached November 13, 2016 among Brookmeade Congregational UCC I would not be here today if not for a saint named Lydia Elizabeth Nash Greuling. She gave birth to my mother, so there’s that. I would not be here — in church — if…
Tidings of Comfort & Joy 