Yesterday I went on a walk with a friend who had some things on her heart to process. She suggested a walk over meeting for coffee. Quickly into our time together I realized that this was going to be a “workout walk” not a leisurely stroll as we chatted. Multi-tasking was in store: heavy conversation… Continue reading Setting the Pace
“Prince of Peace… I will follow you…” “Prince of Peace… I will follow you…” “Prince of Peace… I will follow you…” What a simple and yet profound breath-full moment of naming both commitment and longing. This slowing down to create attentiveness to Presence deep within, nurturing Life and Love. As I listened to the… Continue reading Breathe in Our Belovedness
During my undergrad education, I studied abroad in Israel-Palestine. A couple years later, I returned to live and work there for a year. I was working with an organization in Jerusalem which created space for Israelis and Palestinians to learn about reconciliation and form friendships with the person from the “other side.” While there were… Continue reading “who is your reconciliation work really for?”
written for my ordination in August, 2016 From head… to heart… to hand… As I understand it, the purpose of ministry is to meet, to listen, to encourage, to include… I see life not as a clear division of dark and light, of perfection and flaw, but as a circular spectrum of colour, movement and… Continue reading The Ministry of My Heart
I’ve always been dissatisfied with the church, as far as inclusion goes. I’ve lived with a disability all my life, spent most of my childhood in a long-stay children’s hospital. In-between times I attended a school for physically and mentally handicapped children (1950’s terminology). I picked up a few unwanted labels on the way and needed to… Continue reading My Two Halves of Life
I am from Northern Ireland. I was born into a ‘side’. My side was Protestant, and from an early age, I heard ‘you can’t trust a Catholic’, a phrase many Protestant children would have had subliminally engrained in their beliefs. We went to our protestant schools and Catholic’s to theirs. We didn’t do Irish dancing,… Continue reading A Story of two sides
For the past 30 years or so, our church community has met in a school in SW London. It’s a large space – freezing cold in winter & boiling hot in summer – probably best known by most as the location of the closing scenes from the film ‘Love Actually’. But for good or for… Continue reading love actually
Describe who or what has most shaped your understanding of reconciliation. White. Male. Christian. If I’m totally honest about this question, I have to start here. As I think about reconciliation and what has shaped and formed what I know in my mind and somewhat in my body, the largest and loudest voice(s) are those of… Continue reading Homogenous might work for milk but not for faith
I think the evangelical church has most shaped the concept of reconciliation for me. I’m sure that as a life-long church attender I’ve heard this term many times. As I reflect on the concept, I feel that the word ‘forgiveness’ took a primary place for any interpersonal disagreement. Memories surface of phrases like, “Forgive others… Continue reading Changed Behavior
I think my understanding of reconciliation has been shaped through three main lenses: academic, practical, and spiritual. Academically, I studied theories of reconciliation while doing my Master’s in Conflict Analysis & Resolution. John Paul Lederach was of course a biggee here. I recall reading about his describing reconciliation as the place where Justice, Peace, Truth,… Continue reading How do I understand reconciliation…
