It's official: I'm now a Member in Discernment! This is the next step on my journey toward ordination in the United Church of Christ. On Saturday, April 1, 2023, following review of the materials I submitted and an interview, the North Texas Association Committee on Ministry affirmed my ongoing discernment by declaring me a Member in Discernment (MiD). During this meeting they also outlined the next steps I need to complete, which include Completing boundary trainingUndergoing a Read More …
Great New Books – April 2023 (#2041)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (5+) Living Resistance: An Indigenous Vison for Seeking Wholeness Every Day by Kaitlin B. Curtice (Brazos Press, 2023)(5.0) Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution: A Handbook for Entrepreneurs by Uri Levine (Matt Holt Books, 2023)(5.0) All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore (Tyndale House, 2023)(4.5) Meeting Jesus at the Table: A Lenten Study by Cynthia M. Campbell and Christine Coy Fohr (Westminster Read More …
Week by Week, Step by Step (#2040)
My journey toward ordination in the United Church of Christ continues. This Week's Update This morning I preached and led worship at West Fork Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Grand Prairie for the second week in a row. Today's message, "Check the Guest List," was based on Matthew 9:9-13. It was an encouragement to engage in intentional and radical hospitality. And, it was a reminder of the importance of truly welcoming everyone at the table and more broadly in the life of the Read More …
Back in the Pulpit Again! (#2039)
Over the course of nearly 20 years in parish ministry, I did a lot of preaching. Early on in my transition into the faith-based non-profit world, I did some preaching. Then, I stopped. I last preached in March of2018. Enough for Everyone Yesterday, I preached at West Fork Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Grand Prairie, Texas. My message "Enough for Everyone," was based on Mark 6:30-44 (The Feeding of the 5,000). This was a reminder to look again, to adopt an asset based Read More …
Mainline Decline in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metro Area (#2038)
While I've written extensively about Mainline decline this is the first time I've considered what this decline looks like in my own geography. As someone who has lived all but about a decade of my life in the Dallas - Fort Worth area of Texas, I've long wondered what Mainline decline really looks like here in the area I call home. The exploration that follows offers a county by county look at the region's most populous counties before exploring Mainline decline for the area as a whole. Read More …
Pilgrimage: Sharing my Story (#2037)
Over the last few months, I've been sharing updates on my discernment process and steps toward ordination in the United Church of Christ. A Story of Stoles: Discerning What Next (January 2023)Update: My United Church of Christ Ministry Discernment Journey (February 2023) Pligrimage Paper In my most recent discernment post I shared a list of documents I've created or curated, including a document called a "pilgrimage paper." The pilgrimage paper is an exploration of how it is Read More …
Great New Books – March 2023 (#2036)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (5.0) Serving Money, Serving God: Aligning Radical Justice, Christian Practice, and Church Life by Sheryl Johnson (Fortress Press, 2023)(4.5) A Minor Revolution: How Prioritizing Kids Benefits Us All by Adam Benforado (Crown, 2023)(4.5) Honestly: Telling the Truth About the Bible and Ourselves by Mark Wingfield (Fortress Press, 2023)(4.0) Turning Donors Into Partners: Principles for Fundraising You'll Actually Enjoy by Brad Read More …
Lent, License Plates, & Christian Nationalism (#2035)
About this time last year I shared an unusual religious license plate - a cross beside "REP3NT" - in a wide ranging reflection titled "It’s Lent Again." While focusing on my Lenten journey for 2022, the piece also mentioned a number of posts from previous Lenten experiences. Then it happened again. This past Sunday I was on my way to church to worship on the first Sunday in Lent. As I made my final roadway turn before turning into my congregation's parking lot I saw the most unexpected Read More …
Update: My United Church of Christ Ministry Discernment Journey (#2034)
If asked to sum up all of the work I've done in my life with a single word, I'd choose "ministry." Background From discerning a calling to ministry as a teen to earning an undergraduate degree in ministry, I started my journey with clarity. And, then, my horizons expanded and expanded some more. My ministry experience to date has spanned five denominations (and I earned theological degrees from schools affiliated with three additional denominations). To date, I've served nine Read More …
Cathedral of Hope – 6 Years & Counting (#2033)
Six years ago today, I joined Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas. Top 12 As I reflected on the last six years, I re-read all of the many blog posts I've written during this time that mentioned Cathedral of Hope. The Top 12 Posts (in reverse chronological order) follow: A Story of Stoles: Discerning What Next (January 2023)Surviving an Attack & Living a Hope-Filled Recovery (October 2022)The Church of Hope (September 2022) [part of a series called "God is Read More …