There are two major camps in Evangelical Christianity right now when it comes to the way women are treated. Complementarians believe men and women are equal before God and humanity, but because of gender must adhere to complementary roles, in order to uphold the image of God on this planet. Egalitarians believe men and women…
A Homily on Pentecost: The Wildfire of the Holy Spirit
On Saturday night, we had our Pentecost Feast. Below is the homily I gave. The Scriptures Lectionary for the night was: Psalms 104:24-34 Genesis 11:1-9 John 14:8-17, 25-27 Acts 2:1-21 About twenty years ago, I went on one of my first extended stay to South America. I lived in Chile for three months, and then…
On Women and a Short Introduction to the Epistles
I saw this movie a long time ago called, Yentl. Barbara Streisand plays this Orthodox Jewish girl from Poland who wanted to learn and study the Talmud. But according to the rules of her Jewish community she wasn’t allowed to learn the Talmud because she was a girl. Her Rabbi father taught her against the…
On Deborah: A Heroine for All
When I was a young girl, I went to a loving church that taught me the Bible. We had hymn-sings, and Sunday afternoon pot-lucks, we had Christian pageants and my mom sang in a quartet. We prayed for the sick and loved one another. It was a small church, with only one pastor, and his…
On Women and Leadership in the Church
The issue of women in church leadership has been around forever. I’ve been interested in this subject since I was a small girl attending church, and asking questions. And after much consideration, I’ve decided it’s time to start writing on this subject on my own blog. There are primarily two camps in Christianity regarding the…
On What’s Saving My Life Right Now
Once in a while, maybe four times a year, I consider what I’m enjoying in my life. Not just generally, but specifically. I realize that these things aren’t exactly saving my life. But they are the things that quietly and persistently take my breath away, nurture hope, and give me a sense of settled peace….
On Living a Generous Life: a Homily
On February 23, I gave the homily at Soup and Bread which is a gathering for The Practicing Christian Facebook group John and I started back in October. The four scripture verses we read are below, but I primarily spoke out of the Luke passage. Genesis 45:3-11, 15 Psalm 37:1-12, 41, 42 I Corinthians 15:35-38,…
On Losing a Dear Friend
My dear friend, Lupe, died ten days ago, on the night of the big snow storm. She had cancer, a relentless cancer. She wasn’t ready to die, even though she’d suffered so much. She was a woman who had life in her. I didn’t get to see her again and as hard as I wanted…
On Emotions, Drinking, and Learning a New Way
I quit drinking wine about a year ago for 100 days. That decision was a long time coming. Those 100 days were so good, so clarifying that a month after they ended, I decided to quit drinking alcohol for a good, at least for a good long while. I’m not exactly sure what a good…
Five Reflections following a Calm Weekend
I’ve decided to turn off Social Media, for the most part, over the weekends. By Friday, I can’t think of anything witty or thoughtful to say, and every single pictures looks the same, so it’s best to yell uncle and quit while I’m strong. I used to think one day off was enough, but now,…