I was just 13 when I stepped out of my ratty flip flops and down into the baptismal pool at Confederate Avenue Baptist Church in downtown Atlanta. As I waded over to Pastor R, the white robe covering my one-piece swim suit floated up around my knobby knees. There was a coarse cinder block in the bottom of the painted pool for the young’uns to stand on so the faithful could clearly see our pimply faces from the burgundy carpeted sanctuary. I... Read more
If you have ever been bullied, turn down the volume of the soundtrack of internalized self-loathing, and listen instead to the Song of compassion and love that seeks you, ceaselessly. If you have ever been a bully, turn down the volume of the soundtrack of externalized self-loathing, and listen the Song of compassion and love that seeks us all, ceaselessly. If you have ever witnessed bullying and done nothing, turn up the volume of the soundtrack of compassion and love, and act – ceaselessly . Read more
The next two weeks my mind will be awash in all things Pride as we prepare to do down south what folks around the country did back in June. Claim how far we come. Create opportunities for more people to know they are beautiful and beloved. Celebrate who we are. On Sunday, October 5 I have the honor of speaking at Tennessee Valley Pride in Chattanooga. The following weekend is the 44th Atlanta Pride Festival, the largest Pride event in the southeast and the largest... Read more
Sometime this past April I told you that I can no longer comfortably call myself a Christian. “…I am tired. I am tired of begging for scraps from the table. I am tired of begging to borrow an ounce of grace from the money changers in the temple. I am tired of being a pawn in the Christian culture wars. I believe in grace and I have faith in the Incarnation but I need to step away from the riot gear clad protectors... Read more
Well my goodness, it would seem that yet another “pastor” in yet another “Christian” church has found his 15 minutes of fame on the interwebs by intentionally whipping up theologically inaccurate, fear based, power hungry homophobia. Get a load of this little diddy as reported by Raw Story A pastor of a large Southern Baptist church near Chattanooga, Tennessee said this week that Christians would never repent for discriminating against gay people like they had for racism because African-Americans could not... Read more
Ugh, dating is weird. Sharing it with y’all is even weirder, I know. But if Anne Lamott can blog about her year on Match.com then I suppose it’s fair game for any goober running her mouth out here to explore some of the funkier parts of this stage of life. That and I imagine, in my ridiculously idealistic head, that in our kinship we have something to learn from the foibles of our freakier friends and family. (<—me) In the nine months... Read more
There are many things on my big ole queer agenda this week, things like – waking up at stupid o’clock every day, reading in the wee small hours, writing until time to get ready for work, working at a job I love, helping kids with homework, walking my dog, folding laundry, washing dishes, making mistakes, saying sorry when I screw up, praying, going to church, maybe drink a couple ice coffees and grab a dinner with friends. But just to... Read more
This evening I am introducing a new series – my contribution to the “Meet the Nones” meme out there . I have been mulling over (uh, stewing furtively about) an in-depth response to a particular author/pastor from within my own tradition for quite a while. Back in 2011 Lillian Daniel posted “Spiritual but Not Religious? Please Stop Boring Me” on Huffington Post and I was shocked, dismayed and saddened by how utterly un-pastoral and alienating this post was. Rather than demonstrating a sense of compassion or extending a... Read more
Some of y’all know that I lead a weekly, online spiritual practice as the Minister of Digital Community with Extravagance UCC. A couple of you even know that I’ve been leading online worship in one form or another for about 8 years now. Often, as we settle in for our time of worship, I will lift up the same prayer. Gracious and loving God, oil the hinges of our hearts’ doors that they may swing gently and widely to welcome you.... Read more
We had just lit a candle, said a blessing and were passing around the broken bread for all at the table to share when we began talking about our respective days. The kids had been about the business of getting the most out of the last days of their summer vacation (we go back to school sinfully early in Georgia) and I had been engaged in the regular ins and outs of working for the college I love, writing for... Read more
Kimberly Knight
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In