Sex and the bible…the older I get the more sec positive I am
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How to Get Run Out of Town in 6 Easy Steps
Thoughts of the changing pastoral role
Katy’s Ultimate Fairy Tale List
#fairytales list….did you know Shannon Hale’s One Thousand Nights is onsale as an e-book?
First off if you need to know anything about fairy tales I recommend references by Maria Tartar, Jack Zipes and www.surlalunfairytales.com, Jane Yolen is fairly good as well (although she is focused on feminist fairy tales)
Secondly, here are all of the fairy tale things I love
Please note that fairy tales are meant to be oral i.e rewrites are not only allowed, they are within the VERY essence of what makes up a fairy tale–so even bad fairy tales are valid
TV:
Disney: Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Tangled (although they are Disney-fied they are still valid)
Once Upon a Time (obviously),
Jim Henson’s StoryTeller
10th Kingdom (which is usually only about $15 to buy),
Fractured Fairy Tales in Rocky & Bullwinkle,
Nickelodeon’s Grimm Fairy Tale Classics, Fairy Tale Theater
Ever After (Go DaVinci)
Belle and La Bete (The Original French movie in…
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Beauty and the Beast
Theology and my favorite Fiary Tale
I may or may not own a billion different versions of Beauty and the Beast. (Plus some figures, snowglobes and plastic McDonald’s toys)
Why? Because its my favorite fairy tale. Why? Because its the first/best fairytale and it is so TOTALLY theological!!!! (did I put too many exclamation points there?)
Things to know about Beauty and the Beast which I have disseminated from years of study (no seriously I have been convertly studying fairy tales for 8 years. First as an “English” major at Oberlin, then as a theological student at Princeton)
1. It is the FIRST fairy tale we know of
2. It evolved from what is the last myth we know of: Cupid and Psyche (in “The Golden Ass”) written a couple of hundred of years after myths were in style
3. Before Christianity, the “happily ever after concept” did not seem to exist in stories….In…
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Negotiating Church Salaries & Benefits (when budgets are tight)
STARs in 2014
Today the church celebrates the Feast of Epiphany.
But since we’re Presbyterian flavored Christians, we actually celebrated it yesterday in worship. (Mid-week worship for most Presbyterians I know is limited to Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, and maybe Maundy Thursday.) Anyhow, we received our new STARwords in worship yesterday and I’ve been drawing stars for blog and Facebook readers.
I didn’t invent this idea, but a friend shared it with me a number of years ago, and the congregation I serve has found it to be a meaningful experience.
In our church, people pick a star when they come forward for communion. Some people just take the one on the top of the pile. Others dig down to grab one from the middle. Some look at the word immediately. Others stick it in a pocket without glancing at it. Occasionally, people will trade out their star for a…
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The Mary Who Said No (a poem)
* I wrote this poem as a way to process my response to this article about divine rape and sexism in religious narratives (which has its own issue but nevertheless raises important questions). It solves nothing and not just because I lack the authority to rewrite history. It leaves plenty of its own issues. But it gives me a momentary hope in the God I love so deeply. And this Christmas, I need that. (Also, I don’t remotely believe God is male, but it matters that we’ve interpreted God that way so for the poem – male pronouns were important.)
“No.”
She said, her voice soft.
“No.”
She said again.
Louder.
Defiance echoed in the small room.
Through the blinding light
the angel blinked, owlishly.
Silence stretched.
She shifted. Waiting.
“No… what?”
the question finally came,
uncharacteristic uncertainty in angelic tones.
“No.” She said, still surprised at her own daring.
“No…
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God Laughs Me Into Hope: A Poem
Some mornings
God laughs me into hope.
She is sneaky like that.
While I am busy fretting
and She’s busy
holding the mourning,
and stirring up discomfort
in the sleepy and complacent,
and loving this world
in all its messiness,
She spares a momentary finger
to poke me in the side
and then a holy hand
around my ear
to whisper:
“You are ridiculous.
And fine.
Ridiculous!”
She laughs.
“I love you.”
And since Her laugh
once birthed a world,
it gives me hope
and swells my daring.
Thank God, She knows me
and laughs.
The Rise of the Dones
John is every pastor’s dream member. He’s a life-long believer, well-studied in the Bible, gives generously, and leads others passionately.
But last year he dropped out of church. He didn’t switch to the other church down the road. He dropped out completely. His departure wasn’t the result of an ugly encounter with a staff person or another member. It wasn’t triggered by any single event.
John had come to a long-considered, thoughtful decision. He said, “I’m just done. I’m done with church.”
John is one in a growing multitude of ex-members. They’re sometimes called the de-churched. They have not abandoned their faith. They have not joined the also-growing legion of those with no religious affiliation–often called the Nones. Rather, John has joined the Dones.
At Group’s recent Future of the Church conference, sociologist Josh Packard shared some of his groundbreaking research on the Dones. He explained these de-churched were among…
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Advent & Christmas at Faith and Wonder: DETAILS!
A Summary of What’s to Come…
There is much to choose from this Advent at Faith and Wonder–check out the offerings below and to see how you, your family, or your church might engage with the stories of God this Advent and Christmas!
Tales from the Jesse Tree: An Advent Podcast Series (Begins December 1st)
**5 days a week of audio storytelling beginning December 1st
**Features stories from the Jesse Tree–including some traditionally left off the branches (ehem…the women’s stories)
**Each episode will include a personal storytelling prompt
**A terrific Advent practice (Episodes will generally be less than 10 minutes in length…as for your own stories…take your time!)
I am hoping to have it up on iTunes…still awaiting some technical changes to make that happen!
Christmas By Heart: 12 Days of Story-Learning (Begins Dec 1st)
This video story-learning workshop is aimed at learning Luke 2:1-20 and includes:
**”Tips for Telling”…View original post 111 more words
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