Merry Christmas/A Conspiracy...

The members of the Church is ALIVE team are taking a little time off to celebrate with our families for the holidays...

BUT, we wanted to leave you with a little video about a really cool project called "The Advent Conspiracy." It's about making gift-giving a little less about "buying" and a little more about "giving." They also have a goal of providing clean water to those without, and that's always a good thing.

But that description doesn't really do the clips justice. Watch the original 2008 video below, and then watch the 2009 follow-up video below THAT and find out how you can help.

Christmas is about giving, after all:

And this year's version:

Merry Christmas all!

I'm Really Very Fond...

Here’s part of a poem from Alice Walker, which, if nothing else, should be a good reminder about the dangers of dating, or, more precisely, breaking up with, poets.

I'm Really Very Fond

I'm really very fond of you,
he said.

I don't like fond.
It sounds like something
you would tell a dog.
Give me love
or nothing.

Throw your fond in a pond,
I said...
I love that line, “Throw your fond in a pond!” Now that’s poetry!

“Tolerant” is a word like “fond”. They’re lukewarm words, and anyone who’s read Revelations 3 knows that things didn’t turn out so well for the lukewarm church in Laodicea.

“Tolerant” is one of those words that make gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members of the church a little squirmy. We say that we’re looking for acceptance not tolerance. Tolerance makes us feel as if we were some rash on the ecclesial body which the church is pondering whether to treat or simply endure. But lately I’ve been reconsidering …

To me, the newest generation of church leadership – those born after 1980, say – have redeemed the word “tolerant.” It’s a generation that’s comfortable with difference – that grew up with diversity, not as an ideal, but as a way of life. It’s a generation that has by dint of circumstance, come to understand the world as a complex place, and where disagreement doesn’t equal separation.

Several recent studies, for instance, show that even among Christians who identify as evangelical, there has been a significant shift toward greater support among those under 30 for marriage equality and for expansion of employment nondiscrimination and hate crimes protections to cover sexual orientation and gender identity. I think what’s going on here is more about a change of values than a change of beliefs. It’s not so much that beliefs about “homosexuality” have changed for these younger evangelicals, as it is that they value a healthy respect for difference. What’s more, they are more interested in the kind of advocacy that can unite people –tackling the environmental crisis, facing racism, ending poverty; in a certain sense, the next generation of Evangelical Christians is less interested in ideological positions, and more interested in practical transformation.

I could live with that kind of tolerance. I can imagine a healthy church that isn’t susceptible to constant fracture along ideological fault lines. I can imagine a church that gives fair consideration to all who are called to serve as officers regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, and still allows for the full range of ideological perspectives. I can imagine a church that has moved on from the debate about the place of glbt persons in its life and ministry – a debate that keeps our attention focused inward; I can imagine a church where people who hold vastly divergent theological views come together to get stuff done; I can imagine a church that can not only come together to talk deeply and wisely about racism, poverty and the environment, but that can also head out the door and make a constructive difference.

In our red-state/blue-state nation where it’s nearly impossible for a member of one party to cross-over and vote with the other party, and legislation with bi-partisan sponsorship is almost unheard of, maybe the example of a thriving, vital, creative, engaged Church made up of members from disparate, even opposing theological points of view could point the way to a new way of confronting big and serious issues that affect all of us.

“Forbearance” might be the dressed up theological word for tolerance. Even so, right now, I’m rather fond of “tolerance”.

* * * *

Lisa Larges is the coordinator for That All May Freely Serve, a grassroots organization advocating on behalf of all who are disenfranchised in the Presbyterian Church, especially lgbt members. She's a 1989 grad of San Francisco Theological Seminary, a member of Noe Valley Ministry, a Presbyterian More Light Congregation in San Francisco, and likes cheese!

Waiting on the Past: Advent's Hope in the Midst of Unspeakable Loss

A little while ago, my friend Matthew asked me if I’d be up for writing about how I’ve encountered the Church as truly alive. Naturally, my first instinct was to write about campus ministry, about how we have all of these vibrant college students within and outside of our denomination (the PCUSA) who tackle faith and the questions it poses. But then I thought that might be a bit narrow-minded of me. I mean, how cliché is it for a campus minister to write about campus ministry?

There’s so much going on within the Body, I thought. Why not venture outside of your little bubble, your little world of ivory towers and Crimson Tide football, and consider what else is happening in the ecclesiastical world?

Unfortunately, this line of thinking led me down a road I did not altogether expect. Not that I should be surprised, since I’ve discovered that, when it comes to deciphering what God may be up to, there is no such thing as a foregone conclusion. But in my quest to find a living, breathing Church, I was stymied by a lack of inspiration. I just wasn’t feeling it. And how the heck was I going to write about the Church being alive when I wasn’t sure what that looked like?

Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying that campus ministry is the only place where things are kickin’. And I’m certainly not implying that God needs to branch out a bit. To say that might render me vulnerable to not-so-random strikes of lightning from on high or, perhaps worse, trial by PJC (Permanent Judicial Commission). What I am saying is that the proverbial rub starts and ends with me, a victim of my own narcissistic tendencies and campus ministry tunnel vision. Or, put another way, I’ve just been too dang focused upon what’s going on in my own pastoral world to even consider what’s happening elsewhere.

Something tells me I’m not the only one who has experienced this. I believe we pastors are by our very nature a narcissistic bunch, which seems counter-intuitive when you consider the “selfless” nature of our calling. It’s easy to obsess over “the perfect sermon” or to allow other people’s opinions to haunt us at night or to believe that the fate of the Church rests solely upon our shoulders. And it’s tempting to think that whatever happens within the walls of the steeple centers around us.

Of course, to believe that is to buy into a lie. And, unfortunately, it often takes something “big” to jar us out of our selfishness... which is precisely what happened to me.

First Sunday of Advent. We’re supposed to be anticipating the birth of a child, not mourning the loss of one. Yet that’s exactly what was happening in our congregation, as we sat there, dressed in black and gray, remembering all of the ups and downs of this little child, thinking about what was and what could have been. Nothing seemed right with this picture. Nothing at all.

Except...

Story after story was told about how the congregation—no, the Church—had been with this family. People they didn’t know asking about them. Flowers being sent. Visits being made. Emails asking for prayers. On and on and on.

And, on this Sunday afternoon, mere hours after we had lit a candle of hope, the pews were filled by doctors, church members, nurses, old friends, extended and immediate family, hospital staff, young and old alike. The great Body of Christ in action, responding to a call to love one another, to comfort the grieving, to reach out and offer a hand to those who could not stand on their own.

It didn’t happen the way I expected or the way I wanted, but, on that Sunday, I was reminded that the Church isn’t about one person or one family or one group or one congregation. It involves a lot more than that. And, precisely because of that, the Church is very much alive.

I know this to be true because there, amidst the sadness and grief that Sunday, was a people waiting on the past, waiting on something that once was to happen yet again in ways we cannot even comprehend, waiting on a time when we can celebrate alongside the people we mourn, waiting on a space in which we no longer have to think about what could have been.

We wait because we hope, which, on that first Sunday of Advent, seemed mysteriously providential...

* * * *

James Goodlet is the Presbyterian Campus Minister at the University of Alabama and author of Presbytide.wordpress.com

The Church is ALIVE Supports World AIDS Day

The Church is ALIVE supports World AIDS day. AIDS is an issue that effects us all, no matter what church you attend. Check out the video below:

The Church is ALIVE because it cares for others. Find out how you can help fight AIDS:

Check out and support Project (RED) here.

Check out the PC(USA)'s world AIDS Ministries here.

Lady Church, You Are Alive

Those paths that once made the way so clear, the seminarian-to-associate-to-head-of-staff paths have begun to crack (some might even say crumble.) As those seminarians step from the classroom they’re finding other trails – some muddy, some hidden, some that haven’t even been revealed yet. They lead to counseling centers where clients cry out for the Spirit and to taverns where friends fellowship at tables over bread & beverages... sound familiar? These ministers are finding it necessary to supplement their ministerial incomes by brewing coffee or substitute teaching or even returning to the careers they swore they had abandoned – all for the chance to supply preach at the fifteen member church forty-five minutes away. They don’t have to. But they do. Why, you ask? Because they are called. Lady Church lives among them and she smiles at their freedom. Yes, the Church is alive.

Think what you will, say what you want – it appears as though Lady Church has given us every reason to believe that she dying. Just weeks ago as seminary presidents and elected church representatives gathered for the November meeting of the PC(USA) Committee on Theological Education, the statistics spoke a clear picture:

“Half of PC(USA) congregations are no longer served by fulltime theologically trained ministers.”

“Two-thirds of the congregations in my home presbytery cannot afford full time pastoral ministers.”

At this very moment, 2156 ministers are seeking a call, while there are only 559 open positions for them to fill.

It did not take long for our committee to arrive at the obvious question: for what kind of church are we preparing our seminarians? If the simple laws of supply and demand are shouting: “TOO MANY PASTORS!!! NOT ENOUGH CHURCHES!!!” then why do we continue to admit, financially support, and educate people young and old who claim that God has placed a call upon their lives to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament.

Because, friends – God has placed a call upon their lives to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament. It just doesn’t look like it used to. The Church is alive; she’s just rearranging the furniture a little. While the paths from seminary were once laid in solid rows from classroom to pulpit, recently they’ve begun to wind a bit more – and Lady Church has decided to seek opportunity outside the stained glass windows. Forget the wood paneled walls and the antique desk lamp, Lady Church is not always found in her office anymore. In fact, she’s taken to spending her mornings at the coffee shop: Calvin on her Kindle and Indigo Girls on her IPOD. Jesus told her life was more interesting on the road.


Not all of the straight paths to the pulpit are gone – not at all. There are places where the fulltime, theologically trained, well paid pastor continues to thrive – and Lady Church tips her hat. However, she must admit that these new places and faces bring her such a particular joy. Perhaps it’s because they bring God joy and it is because they bring God joy they must not be ignored.

Lady Church is alive – alive with God’s mysterious Spirit that inspires her to open the doors and repaint the walls and breathe in the life that is going on because of her or in spite of her. Therefore, we owe it to Lady Church to pay attention to her life as we train the ministers who will soon step out onto those paths. Technology, diversity, creativity and ingenuity are all steps along the way. As theological institutions learn to walk the line between tradition and change, Lady Church is with them – her Blackberry in one hand and her Bible in the other.

* * * *

Kathy Wolf Reed is a member of the PC(USA) Committee on Theological Education. She is currently serving as a resident Chaplain at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, TN..

The Politics of Jesus…

Recently I have been rereading one of my favorite books, Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals, by Shane Claiborne. Throughout the body of this book it consistently reminds me as a follower of Christ that I am called to adhere to a radical politics of love and justice. Indeed, Micah 6:8 continually reminds us as God’s people “to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.” And somehow in our society today it is difficult to remember and live out that call. We become so focused on ourselves (checking everything off the to-do list and wading through the day-to-day) that we forget the weak and oppressed in society.

Several days a week I try to live out that call in a unique way when I get off the D.C. Metro near Capitol Hill, walk by the Russell and Hart Congressional buildings and into the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office which sits directly across from the Capitol building and next door to the Supreme Court. The Washington Office is the public policy information and advocacy office of General Assembly and therefore advocates on behalf of social witness perspectives and policies of GA. Through the work of the Washington Office, the voice of the Church is heard on Capitol Hill and by our legislators, as we continue to call for justice in the world. From sign-on letters, to hill visits and constituent briefings the Washington Office works hard to let Capitol Hill know where the Presbyterian faith community stands on a variety of issues as they are determined by General Assembly through intensive scriptural based study.

Through this office I am able to live out the radical call of Christians: to show love and compassion to all while working for justice throughout the world. This work reminds me of a Derek Webb song, “King and a Kingdom” which says,

my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it’s to a King & a Kingdom

Indeed, my first allegiance is to God and to the clear call of Jesus Christ to “love my neighbor as myself” and to “care for the least of these”. Therefore, I urge each of you to show that the church is still alive by being an advocate, a Presbyterian advocate calling for justice in the world. Get involved in work to bring about justice for all, as Representative and great Civil Rights leader John Lewis said in his book Walking with the Wind that we should be like children attempting to hold down the corners of the house being lifted up by the wind. “You and I. Children holding hands, walking with the wind. That is America…not just the movement for civil rights but the endless struggle to respond with decency, dignity, and a sense of brotherhood to all challenges that face the nation, as a whole.” So let us go forth and be children, holding hands, and walking with the winds—children walking with the winds to hold down the four corners of justice.

For more information of how to be an advocate within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) please visit the Washington Office Webpage.

* * * *

Nan Arnold is a 2009 religion and history graduate of Presbyterian College in SC. She is currently the intern at the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington office and seeks a future within the church.

Website News!

That title is a little more positive than I felt this morning, when I realized that the Church is Alive website was broken in Chrome and Safari. The method I was using to mask the blog was broken by an update to web kit (I think), so for the time being we'll be on blogspot. Don't cha worry though, you can still send your friends to thechurchisalive.com! Sorry about the mess!

Grace and Peace - Josh.

[UPDATE 11/21/09] Everything should be A-OK now, including any image caching issues you might have had. Things still look wonky or did you find something I missed? Shoot me an email: joshutk(at)gmail.com