Last week, my church, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), reached a historic moment. Ten years after being put on trial by my church for presiding over the wedding of two women, I witnessed that same church embrace LGBT people and their families by affirming marriage as a “unique commitment between two people.” Though I am still […]

When I arrived as a Commissioner for the Presbyterian Church 221st General Assembly (GA) last month, I had publicly committed to vote in solidarity with the Young Adult Advisory Delegates (YAADs). I confess my commitment was tested on the very first significant choice before us: the vote for Moderator of the assembly. As is always […]

I became aware of my trust in God when I was thirteen, during an overnight with the daughter of our church’s minister. We weren’t in the same school, but that year her dad taught our confirmation class and we became friends. We had turned the lights out—her mother had asked us to—but, as usual, we […]

It was 36 years ago that I shared my statement of faith during my ordination process. I’ve been reflecting on what I believed then and what I believe now. How has your faith changed over the years?

Sometimes the most courageous thing is to do nothing. This takes strong faith that God is at work in the world in ways we cannot know or see. This meditative use of a verse from Psalm 46 to quiet our selves can open our eyes to God’s activity all around us and give us the courage to let go.

I was overjoyed when Jeff Krehbiel, who is standing as my vice moderator, offered to share a prayer for Mother’s Day. Jeff writes movingly about an issue that is often overlooked in our churches and in society as a whole. I continue to feel blessed that Jeff is travelling this journey with me and that he is able to share his pastoral wisdom with us here.

For a time recently, as my husband was admitted to the hospital for the first time in his life, my vision shrank to what Augustine captures here. It took immense courage for him—usually the physician in charge—to receive care from others. For those who feel alone, afraid, sick, or face great challenges or even boredom, this prayer offers an acknowledgement of our burdens and a call to where hope can be found if we have the courage.

Rev. Dr. Arlo Duba and Doreen Duba sent this prayer to us after being reminded of it by Thomas Merton’s prayer posted on March 18, 2012. It has a similar theme of asking for courage to follow unknown paths, exactly what we are all doing as we reform into the PCUSA that is to be. It is one of the prayers suggested at the end of Morning Prayer in The Book of Common Worship.

I am blessed and thrilled to announce that the Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Krehbiel, pastor at the Church of the Pilgrims in Washington, D.C., National Capital Presbytery, will stand with me as my candidate for Vice Moderator. Jeff inspires me by the way his ministry has the qualities of joy and transforming power that we all desire in the PCUSA.

Though the use of “men” for “people” has become archaic, the yearning expressed here to love and serve Christ with joy is as present to us as our next heart beat. And those things that hold us back are terribly familiar. This prayer asks God to lift those impediments so that we may courageously respond to the “call to better things.”