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First of all, I would like to thank the Church@Eaton for the flexibility in accommodating time away for me to attend the 2nd of 3 May seminars for my Doctor of Ministry program. That means after this one, I'll just have one more. I'm anticipating completing the writing of my thesis in May of 2025, completing my oral defense of my project in May of 2025, and walking at graduation in May of 2026.
I'll be out this Sunday and next because of attending the seminar in Atlanta for my class, Spiritual Practices in the Life of the Church. My overall project is focused on embodiment and story, and specifically addresses decentering whiteness in preaching. Whiteness is an ideology - apart from the sole color of the skin of a person - whiteness, from which emerges the dangerous ideology of white supremacy, permeates society and even creates an approach to scripture that suggests there is only one way to approach and understand the bible. My project seeks to find new and liberative ways for the preacher and the hearer to engage with scripture, and find themselves more fully in the story of God, through listening to the voices on the margins of scripture and scripture study. I will be working with a small group of preachers from churches affiliated with ABCRM or ABCUSA, to discuss the impact of engaging with minority perspectives and commentaries, on spiritual growth, understanding of self and the world of the biblical text, and on preaching itself, for offering a liberating way of being in the world as fully ourselves, preaching in our authentic voices, understanding that faith is not one size fits all. Thank you for allowing me this time. See you in June! -Pastor Sara -
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Holy one on this day we remember mothers. We recognize mothers and we acknowledge the complexities of motherhood, the blessings of motherhood, and the realities of motherhood-related sorrow and pain. We ask that you bless each mother, and mother-type figure in our lives on this special day. Hear us as we offer this blessing:
For mothers who have loved us and love us still For mothers who have loved us and are no longer on this earth For mothers of blended families who navigate complexity with grit and grace For children, small and grown, who miss and mourn their mothers on this day For mothers who did their best and mothers who faced obstacles socially and financially, obstacles of mental and physical illness who feel like their best was less than For mothers whose trauma looms or loomed large, and mothers who have felt inadequate For mothers whose children left this earth much too soon, for mothers who grieve over the physical absence of their children For birth mothers who relinquished the children they carried and birthed, for foster mothers who provided a first home to children in need of a mother For mothers by adoption who are tasked with mothering not only a child, but the child’s losses and griefs. For adoptees who carefully divide their time between gratitude and grief. For those who long to be mothers For mothers whose pregnancies ended in empty arms and broken hearts. For those who choose not to be mothers, who help to nurture those around them in other ways through relationships. For spiritual mothers who have guided us, for stand-in mothers who have loved without question. God , hear our prayer. Amen. |
Pastor SaraWelcome! I'm glad you're here. I am delighted to be pastor of The Church at Eaton. Join me here for musings and conversations on faith, love, and belonging. Archives
May 2025
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