Pursuing Call

This week, I have the privilege of continuing my conversation with Holle Tubbs, Youth Missioner in the Diocese of Atlanta. I was introduced to Holle at an Imagine Worship service held at St. Bart's in NYC. You can watch her testimony here: https://youtu.be/LgxniJBDSBU?t=2364. Our conversation will touch on issues related to suicide and mental health. If you are in a place where these kinds of conv...

This week, I have the privilege of speaking with Holle Tubbs, Youth Missioner in the Diocese of Atlanta. I was introduced to Holle at an Imagine Worship service held at St. Bart's in NYC. You can watch her testimony here: https://youtu.be/LgxniJBDSBU?t=2364.  Our conversation with touch on issues related to suicide and mental health. If you are in a place where these kinds of conversations ma...

This week we continue our conversation with the Rev. Alan Bentrup he provides great advice on what a new clergy person should do in their first 60 days, we rant a bit about politics and the church, we wrestle with missional questions and we offer this last episode of the year as a blessing.  I celebrate my  birthday all month so if you would like to support this work directly, send me mo...

This bonus episode is an impromptu sermon after attending the Christmas Eve Eucharist with my aunty. Merry Christmas yall. You are those whom God favors and don't you forget it!

On this Solstice I get to share a conversation I had with the Rev. Alan Bentrup whom I have known since his seminary days when he and some friends started the conference Missional Voices. He is now a parish priest and dad of two. We walk through the ways that his priestly call intertwined with his personal life and training up leaders for the church of today. I love the solstice because I was born...

In this post lockdown life, I get to speak with Rev. Andrew Durbridge, Rector of St. Luke and St. Matthew about what it is like to run a parish in the heart of Brooklyn. We explore the challenges, the opportunities and the highs. If you want to visit the church, check out their website: https://stlukeandstmatthew.org/ Homework: What does worship look like for you these days and where are finding s...

We continue our conversation with Harmeet ( @harmeet_kamboj) this week as we dive deeper into their exploration of gender and the expansiveness of the divine. We learn more about constructive theology, Queering one's tradition and other random side tracked thoughts as is common.  You can check out Harmeet's article in The Revealer here: https://therevealer.org/issue/october-2022-special-issue...

This week we get the opportunity to speak with Harmeet Kaur Kamboj (@harmeet_kamboj) an inter-faith practitioner/activist and all around awesome human! While this isn't a part of our official Union Theological Seminary series, they are an alumn... so prepare yourselves. This is part 1 of a two part interview. In this interview we focus our conversation on what Sikhi religious tradition is all abou...

This week I offer my sermon from Sermons that work: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/sermon/paradox-all-saints-day-c-tr-november-6-2022/ This is followed by an update about the podcast and a random rant about oppression in our world as per usual.  I hope you enjoy.

This week we continue our conversation with Monique J. Fortuné and learn more about her spiritual journey to seek ordination. In particular, we look at the ways that one can pursue their call even without institutional confirmation. Learn more about Monique's work and follower her on all social media platforms: @mfortunebiz. You can also sign up for coaching sessions on communications through her...

This week we speak with Monique J. Fortuné. While Monique wears a ton of hats, she really is good at finding space in her busy life for rest and spiritual self care. We talk about how she finds this balance, the revolutionary act of self care and the concept of self literacy. We also touch on why it is so important to care for self while doing the work of healing community.  Episode Resources:  Ca...

This week we speak with Miguel Escobar, Executive Director of Anglican Studies of Episcopal Divinity School at Union. While we first met at congregants at St. Luke & St. Matthew we have both worked as lay leaders in the Episcopal Church. When Miguel recently told me that he was discerning priesthood because of his particular cultural context of working in a Latine congregation, I wanted to lea...

This week we continue our conversation with James C. Jones, our Summer of Union series. James is Black, a Singer, Activist and a Mormon. In this section we talk more about his life as a musician, being a Black Mormon on mission, AfroPessimism and his call for Separatism as a healing act for racial justice.  You can listen to James' podcast Beyond the Block on all platforms where he and his co...

This week we speak with James C. Jones , in our Summer of Union series (mostly I somehow ended up speaking with folks in my Union network back to back so now its a series). James is Black, a Singer, Activist and a Mormon. We talk about his multiple passions and the decision to try to change systems from the inside. As a Black Mormon, he has dedicated himself to seeing the Church live into what it...

We continue a conversation this week with my friend Kimberley Gordy. If you haven't yet, go back and listen to part 1! Homework this week: Find a thought partner for your spiritual life. For the next three weeks make an appointment with someone you trust and explore one hard thing you are working through. The goal isn't to solve anything. Just be a listening presence with a friend. Each will share...

We begin a conversation this week with my friend Kimberley Gordy. She is more than a power house and rock of inspiration for so many people. Her spiritual strength and maturity is an example that we all can learn from. As she ends her seminary experience and heads into a hospital chaplaincy internship we dig deeply into her call and ask for some advice on how we too can sit in discomfort and walk...

This week take a stream of consciousness ride with Obri Richardson. We speak about so many things that I just didn't know how to edit it down. So if you are an editor looking for some experience - let me know!  In this week's episode we talk about a variety of topics including trauma, toxic masculinity, literature as sacred text, Black men and so much more. The episode was recorded back in Ma...

This week we get the privilege to speak with Melissa Crutchfield about her journey in faith and non-profit work. Just a reminder that the stories we share are our personal experiences, thoughts and opinions. They do not reflect a complete picture or necessarily represent the organizations we reference. So please do continue to support faith-based relief and development organizations! And we can in...

This week we continue our conversation with Anna Darian (annadarian.com). This week we focus on her ministry of storytelling and so much more. There will be a little bit of discussion about abortion and we will continue to explore the intersection between her journey of being seen and providing space for others to tell their truth. Homework this week: Read Audre Lorde's essay Uses of the Erotic: T...

This week I speak with Anna Darian (@anna.darian on all the social medias) about her path on the road to storytelling as a spiritual practice. As she reflected on her journey, the story of her abortion became the center of the conversation. If you want to hear the story from her mouth, you can see it here: https://youtu.be/24MKDvkpTOI. Also, the author I forgot to shout out is Candice Marie Benbow...

This week we get to learn about Elizabeth Walker and her process of becoming a Doula, an older mom, and providing healing space in the secular context of college access programs. There is no homework this week, but I hope that you are able to receive her words with open heart and open ears. If there is a nugget that stands out from the conversation, please don't hesitate to share! Share your thoug...

This week, we do something a little different. Using the three services of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil, I offer some moments of reflection.  When have you felt alone in your sorrow? When have you betrayed yourself? What injustice have you witnessed or participated in or chosen to ignore? What do you need to leave at the foot of the cross? Where can you witness the possib...

We continue our conversation with Rev. Julie Hoplamazian as she explains how she developed faithonpointe.com and saw her ministry as a priest as an expression of her full self. We end with a fun movement activity and are reminded to celebrate the divine with our hearts, minds and body! Homework this week: Level 1 - Turn on some music and dance like no one is watching Level 2 - Turn on some music,...

This week we speak with Rev. Julie Hoplamazian as she explored falling in love with Jesus and ballet. Julie is an Episcopal priest and founder of Faith on point: https://www.faithonpointe.com/ where you can sign up for beginner ballet and other experiences that explore the intersection between faith and dance.  Questions: 1. What deep theological questions did you explore when you were young that...

This week we continue letting Makeda Pennycooke to take the wheel! She interviews me and in this second part we explore more institutional questions about call and how we center God over ego in the discernment process. Please note: its me so I am cussing a bit, but I feel like Explicit is a strong word.... Homework: check out my latest post on building your theological base and try some stuff: htt...