I’ve been thinking a lot about the church lately. By the church I mean not Calvary Baptist Church Washington, DC, per se, but the church as in the Church of Jesus Christ as a whole. The thing is, I meet a lot of people who tell me they have given up on the church: it doesn’t meet my needs; it’s corrupt; people who go to church are generally weird; Sunday mornings are for coffee and the NY Times. I get... Read more
Here at Calvary we are looking for a part-time staff member to work with our youth. The job is 15 hours a week, Wednesdays and Sundays, and could begin anytime. We’ve been searching for about a month with no luck, so I am using the power of the blog to ask for help. I’m very happy to talk with anyone interested in discussing the details of the position, so if you are or if you know someone who is, please... Read more
I would not say that I am a radical by any stretch of the imagination, even though a lot of people assume that I am. (I think it’s the whole woman pastor thing, but I am not really trying to be radical. Sometimes you just have to play the cards you’re dealt, you know?) Yes, I would say that I definitely am not a radical. I mean, I recycle (and I recycled when recycling wasn’t cool). But . . .... Read more
I’ve had several inquiries from folks wondering what I think about the motion referred to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Board the second week of June to modify the SBC’s constitution to automatically disfellowship churches who have women as their Senior Pastors. Well . . . let me share the history. In 2000, you might recall, the Baptist Faith and Message (closest thing to a statement of belief Southern Baptists have) was amended to include the words: “While both men... Read more
Shane Claiborne, author of The Irresistible Revolution and now, Jesus for President, will speak at Calvary on June 27th. Hope you might come to hear a radically freeing take on the Gospel message and meet some people bound and determined to live a different way. Here’s more information. Read more
Sometimes I wonder. What version of reality was it, do you think, in which I had enough thought to carry through the impetus of applying to do doctoral work? I’m celebrating the end of my last Doctor of Ministry class, which sounds really great until you consider that “end” also means “beginning”: final assignments for classes, requirements for that one last independent study, and, of course, that annoying little final project.Perhaps it wasn’t reality at all. Perhaps it was a... Read more
Today, I make my Sacrament of Thanksgiving. I pass before me the mainsprings of my heritage: the fruits of the labors of countless generations who lived before me, without whom my own life would have no meaning; the seers who saw visions and dreamed dreams; the prophets who sensed a truth greater than the mind could grasp, and whose words could only find fulfillment in the years which they would never see; the saviors whose blood was shed with a... Read more
Calvary has the honor of hosting a showing of the powerful documentary, New Year Baby. At 2:00 p.m. Sunday in Shallenberger Hall we’ll view the film then hear from the filmmaker. We’re excited the film got a shout out on Penn Quarter Living, and hope you’ll join us Sunday! Read more
The people of Burma (Myanmar) cannot get a break! With so much suffering in Burma already news of this devastating cyclone seems like adding insult to injury. Here at Calvary we are particularly concerned because so many of our fellow church members come from Burma. They still cannot reach many family members and are frantic with worry. To help them try to “get up again,” we have made it possible to donate funds online, which will be made available to suffering... Read more
Do I need to draw you a picture? Apparently. It’s always curious how different strands of my life inevitably intersect. This morning I was chatting with my very good friend and Urban Artist Caroline Armijo about the courage it takes to be artistic. She’s exceptionally gifted, of course, so she doesn’t work so much at discovering her creativity as having the courage to rigorously practice it. Me? I’m not creative at all . . . I don’t have those gifts... Read more
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