Personal

Reflections on Kenya & Uganda: Travel as Withdrawal

Leave a Comment / Kenya & Uganda, People, Personal, Theological Reflection, Uncategorized / By /

Yesterday, I made the observation that travel is a sort of incarnation. In our case, a seventeen-day adventure in Kenya and Uganda included a ministry of presence with impoverished children at risk, new small-business owners, school teachers and pastors. Just being there brought a message: “We see you. We know you are here. There are people praying for you. We support your work for the Kingdom of God in this place. God knows what you are doing here with so little, and he will provide for you.” Over the years, we have discovered our best vacation memories revolve around encounters […]

Reflections on Kenya & Uganda: Travel as Withdrawal Read More »

Reflections on Kenya/Uganda: Travel as Incarnation

Leave a Comment / Kenya & Uganda, Personal, Theological Reflection / By /

My husband and I arrived home yesterday afternoon, after a nineteen-day adventure in equatorial East Africa. In many places we had no electricity, so we had no Internet access, and uploading pictures to Facebook was a problem as well. I decided to catch up now with some reflection that is an inevitable and necessary part of world travel. Though the topic may not always relate to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), most certainly the Word was brought to life for me, and in turn I hope for you. But I can say parenthetically that the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA)

Reflections on Kenya/Uganda: Travel as Incarnation Read More »

The Complications of Communication

Leave a Comment / PCUSA, Personal, Teaching, The Missional Church, Theological Reflection / By /

Yesterday I spent a good part of the day participating in an online discussion, trying to sort out what appeared to be a miscommunication through the halls of Facebook. A post appeared within a Facebook group, other members of the group reacted while others tried to ask helpful questions. The “conversation” escalated into paranoia at times, and without any more substantive information to feed it, speculation took over. I finally called the original poster (is that a word?) to clarify the genesis of the issue that had come to light, and by day’s end it appeared resolution was around the

The Complications of Communication Read More »

Why Do People Do What They Do?

Leave a Comment / Current Events, Essential Tenets of the Reformed Faith, It All Started in the Garden, Personal, The Missional Church, Theological Reflection / By /

A couple times a week I join a few fellow “gym rats” for coffee at the local Peet’s. This group of women frequents the fitness center and then gathers for a coffee klatch before heading home. They come from diverse backgrounds culturally and geographically and represent the gamut of religious views, from lapsed Christian to Sihk to Jewish to complete blank slate. Every once in awhile, one of them will turn to me for advice, knowing I am a pastor. Lately, however, there has been a communal handwringing over recent events. When the bombs went off in Boston, the questions

Why Do People Do What They Do? Read More »

What If God Were Watching?

Leave a Comment / Current Events, Leadership and Spirituality, Moral Authority, PCUSA, Personal, Spiritual Disciplines / By /

This past weekend I had the joy and privilege of speaking five times for a church’s family camp at Mount Hermon. The topic was “Hearing the Voice of Jesus,” and my objective was to demystify the mystical, if you will. If God is alive and active, then surely God continues to communicate with his people. Prayer, after all, is not monologue but dialogue. The question is, How does God “speak,” what is he saying, and how do we know it’s God? I relied heavily on two favorite books: The Voice of Jesus by Gordon T. Smith and Hearing God by

What If God Were Watching? Read More »

The Deafening Silence of Disengagement

Leave a Comment / "The Bible" on History Channel, GAPJC Decisions, Leadership and Spirituality, PCUSA, Personal / By /

Friends of “Bringing the Word to Life,” I submitted the following letter to Presbyweb in response to a letter to the editor by Mike Garrett. I believe the fray is going to start up again, and commend to you as a catalyst a very thoughtful and well-written “prophetic word” by Jim Goodloe, found here. Dear Presbyweb, In response to Mike Garrett’s letter which observed the “deafening silence of disengagement,” I want to agree and to explain further. As one who has contributed to the debates in the last several years and lately by blog, I can acknowledge the truth of

The Deafening Silence of Disengagement Read More »

Good Friday and the Shedding of Blood

4 Comments / Lent, PCUSA, Personal, Spiritual Disciplines / By /

Today I gave blood. I do this each year as an intentional expression of my Christian faith and gratitude for what Jesus did for me. I sat in a comfy chair in a clean, safe environment. The procedure did not hurt. The company was congenial. And when I had deposited my pint, I was bandaged, fed, and sent home to take it easy for a few hours. I give blood on Good Friday as a spiritual discipline and an opportunity for contemplation.  I was quite conscious of the fact that the conditions under which Jesus gave his blood for all

Good Friday and the Shedding of Blood Read More »

Pope Francis and a New Reformation?

Leave a Comment / Current Events, Leadership and Spirituality, Personal, The Missional Church / By /

When a friend posted on Facebook “White smoke!” I turned on the television today and wrapped myself in the NBC coverage of the announcement of the new Catholic pope. As a cradle Catholic (who changed lanes into the Presbyterian church at age 22), I have witnessed the election of five popes in my lifetime. Experience as a Presbyterian pastor, leadership of a session, and organizational executive roles have given me only an inkling of the burden this man will bear as leader of over 1 billion souls worldwide. If that thought is staggering to lowly me, imagine how the question

Pope Francis and a New Reformation? Read More »

Can the PC(USA) Really Change?

Leave a Comment / Leadership and Spirituality, Lent, PCUSA, Personal, Theological Reflection / By /

Last Sunday night, my husband and I hosted a black-tie five-course dinner for eleven other friends in our home. The occasion was the finale of Season Three of Downton Abbey, giving us the opportunity to live a brief fantasy of British aristocracy. The purpose of the evening was to enjoy the company of friends, have a luscious meal served to us (the thirteenth person, by prior arrangement, was our footman—and a fine one he was indeed), and discuss the characters and plot lines of the British television series. [May I just say, in a moment of personal privilege, that the

Can the PC(USA) Really Change? Read More »

The Skeleton in the PC(USA) Closet Is a Woman

Leave a Comment / ECO (Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians), PCUSA, Personal, Women in Ministry / By /

The WQ (“women’s question”) remains one of the most elusive and baffling aspects of ministry, even within a mainline denomination such as the PC(USA). The WQ has been a part of my life-long learning process since the 1970’s, when I felt a strong call to the ministry but believed the Bible prevented me from aspiring to pastoral leadership. Since then, and with the help of marvelous evangelical scholars, I’ve explored the WQ biblically, theologically, organizationally, and personally. And now, as a PC(USA) teaching elder ordained for over 25 years, I face the WQ from a different angle. The current question

The Skeleton in the PC(USA) Closet Is a Woman Read More »

Scroll to Top