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Carol Blythe, Chair, Alliance Peace and Justice Committee
During the recent annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference sponsored by the National Council of Churches, Alliance members joined other people of faith for a weekend filled with worship, plenary sessions and workshops around the theme, “A Place to Call home — Immigrants, Refugees, and Displaced Persons.”
Elizabeth Evans Hagan, pastor, Alliance-affiliated Washington Plaza Baptist Church, Reston, Va.
From where I stand as the pastor of Washington Plaza Baptist Church, I see the church as a messy reflection of a gathered community seeking to be faithful.
We aren’t on the mega church fast track anytime soon. But, we are a group of open, loving and curious faith seekers that wants to know and love each other well. We want to show through our body that people of diverse backgrounds have purpose for gathering even when it would be easier to hang with people who are just like us.
If you are interested in sharing what you know of encountering the Spirit in your own ways, let us know. We are looking for folks to lead a variety of spiritual practices or discussions of practices during our retreat. If you would like to lead a session on a spiritual practice you know well, connecting to mind, body or soul, please submit a proposal with the following information:
Ken Ramsey, Alliance endorsed clinical pastoral education supervisor, Seton Family of Hospitals, Austin, Texas
I graduated from Baylor University in the late 1980s intent on vocational ministry but convinced that there was not a place for me in Baptist life. I enrolled at Emory’s Candler School of Theology without knowing that it housed a Baptist Studies Program, yet through that program I affirmed that my story did fit in the larger Baptist narrative.
Mary Andreolli, Minister for Outreach and Communications As they reached the descent from the Mount of Olives, the entire crowd of disciples joined them and began to rejoice and praise God loudly for the display of power they had seen, saying, 'Blessed is the One who comes in the name of our God! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!' Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!' Jesus replied, 'I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the very stones would cry out!'" (Luke 19:37-40, The Inclusive Bible).
Carol Blythe, Chair, Alliance Peace and Justice Committee
Ecumenical Advocacy Days
This annual conference/training opportunity offered by the National Council of Churches, EAD will be March 19 -21 in Washington, D.C. Many attendees will stay over to visit their senators and representatives on Monday, speaking together to political power with other people of faith. This year, attendees will have the opportunity also join people of faith and others in a march on the Mall Sunday afternoon to support Just and Humane Immigration Reform. Come raise your voice for the voiceless in our society!
Jonathan Groves, Alliance member, Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond student
When I enter a room, I subconsciously divide people into three categories: Those who need help in some way and know it; those who need help but do not know it; those who do not need help at the moment but will in the future. Specific needs vary but needing assistance in the living of life is one thing people of all ages have in common. Recognizing a need in another person is passive; acting to ease that person's hardship is the gift of humanity. And it is our calling.
Why is it that we as Christians struggle so much with our bodies? Why is it so challenging for people of faith to integrate our bodies with our hearts, minds, and spirits? What makes us uncomfortable about our bodies and why do we separate off our bodies from our experience of faith?
Paul C. Hayes, Pastor for Alliance-affiliated Noank Baptist Church in Noank, Conn.
If you cross the trestle bridge into the quaint village of Noank, Conn., you will see the steeple of the Meeting House where Noank Baptist Church gathers. The sight of it offers a point of needed reference, especially for a seafaring traveler. At night, the steeple’s light reassures boaters of their location in relation to Noank and the mouth of the Mystic River.
Ken Sehested, Co-pastor for Alliance-Affiliated, Circle of Mercy, Asheville, NC
I’m embarrassed to admit muffling a groan when I first heard “safe church policy” mentioned in conversation among our members. Three thoughts came rushing up in complaint.
First, I remembered the news, from years ago, of a daycare center announcing it was instituting a “no-touching” policy guiding staff behavior with children. No hugs. No encouraging hand-on-the-shoulder. No child-on-lap comforting of distress. I thought then, and still think: That’s nuts.
