Updates on my Doctoral Program

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 -