Last week, I was Ordained an Elder in Full Connection in the West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Egalitarianism led me to this moment in my life and is an extension of my theology and faith. Women as equals in ministry is second nature to me. In high school, my home church received a clergy couple as pastors. This was southern West … Continue reading Egalitarianism and the Christian Minister
ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT “Candidates approved by the charge conference and seeking to become certified for licensed or ordained ministry shall: … b) complete and release required psychological reports, criminal background and credit checks.” (The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2008, paragraph 311.2.b) The ordination process has served me well, over the long haul. There are issues with the process, no doubt. … Continue reading Reflections on “The Process”, as I near Ordination as an Elder in Full Connection, Part 2
STANDING AS AN LP All sort of hopes and dreams are wrapped up in Ordination: one’s hopes for the Church, the feeling of affirmation, the nerve-wracking pressure of representing God to the world, etc. One of the hopes for me was to be Ordained with my wife. It was the assuring feeling that I’m not doing this BIG thing alone, that I would have a … Continue reading Reflections on “The Process”, as I near Ordination as an Elder in Full Connection, Part 1
General Conference 2012 is approaching. Petitions are submitted; delegates are elected; travel arrangements are being made; reimbursement accounts being tapped, as we speak. One might get the illusion that it’s a big deal. I was part of the illusion. Three times in the past twelve years, I applied to be a Page or a Marshall at General Conference. Never expecting to be elected as a … Continue reading Something Happened on the Way to General Conference
You may have heard that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has organized the 10th Anniversary 9/11 Ceremony at Ground Zero in a manner that excludes prayer and the presence of clergy. Perhaps, given that 9/11/11 is a Sunday all clergy are busy leading their congregations. But that would only be Christian clergy. Are there no apt clergy from other faiths available? Clearly something is … Continue reading How the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero would benefit from the Presence of Clergy
I’ve never been successfully evangelized. I’ve never successfully evangelized anyone else. I’m a recovering cynic, but a solid skeptic. I believe in people rather easily, but I doubt ideas, theories, conspiracies, etc. I believe in God. I help others believe in God and live out that belief. I try to practice compassion and hospitality, as that seems like a large part of who Jesus is. … Continue reading And That’s When I Became an Evangelist
“Letters to a Young Poet” is authored by Rainer Maria Rilke (bio). They were inspired by correspondence with Franz Xaver Kappus, an admirer and aspiring poet. The 10 letters are Rilke’s replies to Kappus’ inquiries and writings. As a whole, the letters are philosophical, initially revealing Rilke’s approach to writing, later his embrace of a life of “aloneness”. Rilke is extraordinarily appreciative of Kappus’ and … Continue reading About a Book I Recently Finished: “Letters to a Young Poet”
As a pastor, I read for a living. It may come as a surprise that I’m not a naturally avid reader. I’ve always been slow and easily bored as a reader. But as a dad, I like reading to my daughter. Her books are poetic and inspiring. They are simple but profound. One of my new favorites is Everywhere Babies, by Susan Meyers. There are … Continue reading Book Review: “Everywhere Babies”
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