Real Mission: Educated, Part 2
This post is the second part of a two part series called, Educated. Part 1 is available here.
One of my big goals with this blog is to chip away at all the stuff we have built up around the word “mission”, and the title “...
Read More
Real Mission: Educated, Part 1
In a small mid-west Kindergarten classroom in the early 90s, a strong and determined Black woman taught little White kids about how to become a beloved community just by virtue of being her true self. By the grace of God, I was among them.
My ...
Read More
Real Mission: Hell Hath No Fury
Come celebrate with me that every day something has tried to kill me and has failed. ~ Lucille Clifton Throughout my life as a missionary, I have struggled to embrace the fury that I feel at injustice in the world. At times, it has overwhe...
Read More
Real Mission: Deep Wisdom
In ancient Rabbinic wisdom literature (The Jewish Talmud, Taanit 23a) there is a story about a man named Honi who, one day, sees a man planting a carob tree. Honi says to the man, “How long will it take for this tree to bear fruit?” The man a...
Read More
Real Mission: Begin Again
A few of you have been reading this blog from the beginning of the pandemic, and I want to say thank you. In the midst of this crazy time, it has been a great way for me to share with you some of the intricacies of my life in mission and hopefull...
Read More
Real Mission: Band-aids
With sleepy eyes I move toward the bathroom in the early morning hours. Tripping on a small cardboard box, my left hand catches the edge of the vanity and dozens of tiny slippery pieces of paper stick to my fingers. "Chris! Arlo’s gotten into ...
Read More
Real Mission: Grounded
I'm just going to come right out and say it . . . it's been a rough couple of weeks. If I was a person who used expletives, I would insert them here, but of course, I am not.
*#$%()$%&@(#(#*%)$(%)!#&%)!#%*)*%@(&$(!#*%)!#%*!#)$&(#%*@){%*((#$%&T...
Read More
Real Mission: IOU
A few years back, I attended a national Church program for clergy called CREDO. It’s not an acronym that I know of. We were told that CREDO means “I choose this.” Some of the priests and bishops attending had only been ordained a few years,...
Read More
Real Mission: I'm Right There with You
I used to think that the pinnacle of caring was empathy. Since birth I have displayed classic “empath” qualities. If a friend skinned their knee, I was there crying too. If my sister broke her toy, I was there to give her a hug. If a neighbor...
Read More
Real Mission: The Hope that is Within You
Last week we talked about worry. Where it comes from, how we feed it, and what it is good for. Long story short, it’s not good for much, save from raising your anxieties and increasing your propensity toward suffering. This week, I want to tal...
Read More
Real Mission: Worry Worry Worry
A few years ago, a good friend of mine gave my son Teil a little children’s book with an ominous title. It was called, “Where is God? " t’s tiny colored carboard pages take a little boy on a journey of hide and seek, as h...
Read More
Real Mission: Take a Walk with Me
This fall begins a new era of mission engagement at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, and I am honored to walk alongside members of your Vestry and fellow staff to bring to you engaging programming and community commitment that revitalizes ou...
Read More
Real Mission: Labo[u]r Day
For the past eight years, the first Sunday of September has been, for me and my husband Chris, a beautiful reminder of the joy of celebrating something you’ve worked hard for. A day to rest and rejoice in the fruits of our labor. A day to delig...
Read More
Real Mission: Strength for the Journey
In life and in death there are moments that require great strength: a reminder that I was given this week as I attended the small backyard baby shower of our friends next door and as I held the hand of my great uncle who went home on Hospice care...
Read More
Real Mission: The 501(c)(3) Dating Scene
Throughout these past five months there has been little cause for celebration. The physical isolation and monotony of daily life has been, at times, comforting; but also, extremely boring for an extrovert like me. I’ve enjoyed being with my fam...
Read More
Real Mission: Mother Liberty
"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From ...
Read More
Real Mission: Manna in the Wilderness
Back in April, during Holy Week, my husband Chris and I decided to distract ourselves from the deep sadness we felt about missing Easter with all of you by taking on a little project. From our pantry we gathered up seeds and legumes of many varie...
Read More
Real Mission: You Fools
With the world spinning round and round and loud voices shouting this and that it is sometimes hard to discern the greatest truth in life, and maybe even more difficult to decide whose truth to listen to. I wonder what our lives might be like, an...
Read More
Real Mission: the Company You Keep
We've heard it said, "You are who you hang out with.” Right about now, you’re looking around the room going, “oh man, is this who I am?” Or, maybe you’re saying, “wow, look how great I am.” Of course, at a time like this, the only r...
Read More
Real Mission: Telling the Truth
Can we be really hones with one another for a minute? I want to tell you the truth. I couldn’t get to sleep last night because I was plagued with worry. I didn’t worry that I wouldn’t have enough to eat in the morning or that I...
Read More
Real Mission: A Walk Around the Block
"Melanie, go down to Mrs. Evangelopolous’ house and help her write a check to some repair men.” My dad ordered me sternly with an unspoken “and put some pep in your step." It wasn’t a ‘when you get around to it’ kind of directive; it...
Read More
Real Mission: Home Sweet Home
Since the quarantine began in mid-March, I have bought 5 gallons of paint, 3 pints of stucco, and 2 buckets of roofing tar. The realization that we are homeowners really set in as we dug a hole around the foundation of our home that would have ma...
Read More
Real Mission: For the Love of Laughter
The other day I woke up giggling. Like really giggling with a small tear forming on the outside corner of my right hazel eye. I know, I could barely believe it myself. What was so funny? The world is falling apart, people are in pain, the global...
Read More
Real Mission: Learning to Listen
My parents like to joke that I came out of the womb speaking in full sentences. From early on in my life, I have been a woman of not so few words. I believe some of you can testify to that. Learning to speak came quickly and naturally for me, and...
Read More
Real Mission: Enough
"Mama, it's mornin' time" a little voice whispers as I flutter my eyes open to catch the first light of day. "Mama, I'm hungry." "Okay buddy, what would you like to eat? Cereal, pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast with jam, Greek yogurt?" I've bare...
Read More
Real Mission: When Things End
With deep gratitude I give thanks for the many who made our partnership with Cincinnati Public Schools as Community Champions at John P. Parker Elementary School (JPP) possible at this difficult time. Since March 23rd, a small group of physically...
Read More
Real Mission: On The Other Side of The Fence
One of the things getting me through this quarantine is a little drive I take a couple times a week down Ridge Road toward Paxton, a quick stop at the church to load up donations and then down Erie Avenue toward Madisonville. I know it's not the ...
Read More
Real Mission: Drawn By The Spirit
I know this may be hard for some of you to believe, but when I was a budding pre-teen, I used to skip class on a not infrequent basis. Mostly I skipped music class (sorry Brett Scott). My music teacher was not very engaging, and there was somethi...
Read More
Real Mission: Show & Tell
You know how they say that "all you really need to know, you learned in kindergarten"? Well, I think that parable has a lot of truth in it. Turns out, my kindergarten teacher was an Episcopalian, but that is a story for another blog post. One o...
Read More
Real Mission: Safety Net
There was a time in my life when the word CAUTION was not a familiar friend. I thrived on adventure, took big risks, and found myself in uncertain situations on more than one occasion. My lack of pragmatism was a gift and a challenge.
On one s...
Read More
Real Mission: We Are In This Together
In these strange times people have thrown the word isolation around quite a lot. On a daily basis, messages of physical distance and separateness and personal space have flooded my news feed, my favorite radio station, and conversations with fami...
Read More
Real Mission: Suiting Up
A little boy in my parish once approached me on a Sunday morning with a gnarled face, shrugged shoulders, and squinty eyes that looked me up and down as he asked curiously, “Why do you always wear that?" “Wear what? This?” clutching my col...
Read More
Real Mission: Turning the Church Inside Out
When I was a little girl, a Sunday School teacher of mine taught me a very important lesson in Mission.
“Weave your fingers into one another, clasp your hands tightly together, and place your thumbs like you are going to make music with a bl...
Read More