The World's Okayest Pastor

On most Fridays and Saturdays you can find me standing along Riverview Expressway in Wisconsin Rapids, WI protesting with my new friends. We are protesting 47's policies and the blatant disregard for anyone who isn't in the top 1%.  What is clear to me is that the top wealthy people want to go back to the feudal system and make the majority of the working class serfs. They do not care if we die because there are more low class people to do the work.  How is this clear to me? The VA's budget is been cut, people fired. Why because it's cheaper to bury our veterans, who were promised and earned their benefits. This administration has cut funding for programs like WIC, SNAP, public schools, cancer research, PBS, VOA, USAID, vaccine development, and countless other programs. 47 has canceled student loan debt reduction and forgiveness programs. There are claims that 47's tariffs are reducing costs and bringing jobs back to America. All of this is being done in the name of...

 I shared in one of my last blogs that I had complaints lodged against me by a small group in my congregation. Most seem to have moved on after our group meeting, where I apologized for a lot of things - probably more then I should have had too. But I'm the professional in those settings so I did it.  I'm not being told, second hand, that two of those in that meeting want a one on one apology from me because what I said in the meeting wasn't good enough. This is the couple who cursed in my church, have flat out lied about me and have repeatedly stated that the only outcome they're willing to accept is my termination.  Let me explain why I won't be having a one on one meeting with this couple and I won't be giving any more apologies. First, lets start with the apology part. I have apologized for my actions - maybe my misinterpretations is a better term. Based off of their actions and words, I communicated with the proper board/committee and asked for consensus ab...

Happy New Year Church! Advent is the beginning of the liturgical new year. We change the colors to Royal Blue or Purple to mark this time of waiting and anticipation. We will decorate the church and our homes. How will we prepare our hearts this season? As I write this, we are a little over one week post the election and emotions are mixed in the church and American society. Some people are breathing sighs of relief and others feel like they can’t breathe. I get it on both sides. But where are our hearts post-election? Traditionally, each week of Advent has a particular theme: hope, love, joy, peace. As the light of the Advent wreath grows, we should be growing in our faith. We are called to be people of hope; hope that things will get better. Hope that we can be God’s hands and feet in the world to those who are hurting, scared, unsure, grieving, excited. We are called to be people of love: loving all our neighbors and society, yes even those we don’t like or agree with. We are ca...

It's getting close to the 2024 elections and I'm tired. American society seems to be crumbling, and I feel that regardless of how things play out, it's going "to get real." But nevertheless, it's time for me to speak out on Project 2025. I have tried for months to read the document because I want to be informed. But there is not enough blood pressure medicine in the world to allow me to read it all. It boils my blood, and I argue it should most Christian's as well. When you go to the Project 2025 website it opens with "Project 2025 is a historic movement, brought together by over 100 respected organizations from across the conservative movement, to take down the Deep State and return the government to the people." What is the Deep State? As far as I know there is no Deep State but let's scare people into thinking there is. Who are these 100 respected organizations? They are organizations like the American Family Association, Family Policy All...

At the opening ceremony, for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, the organizers/choreographers had various pieces of art involved. They literally carried the Olympic Flame through the galleries of the Louve. As part of the nod to fashion and to demonstrate the welcome to everyone, a runway was set up on a bridge where people, representing many groups, sat, danced and walked the runway.  At one point there was a group of performers sitting at the runway. I'll admit that I thought that it was a nod to the Last Supper painting by DaVinci. But as I looked at the setting and especially after I looked at all of the screen grabs going around, I was pretty certain that it wasn't a live enactment of DaVinci's work. Instead, it was more of a nod to a Greek tradition - a loud party, called a bacchanalia. Are there some artworks that depict this ancient Greek tradition in a similar style and setting as DaVinci's work? Sure. I say all of this because in less than a few hours of the open...

This sermon was delivered on June 30, 2024 for Open and Affirming Sunday/Pride Sunday. The scripture references are 2 Corinthians 8 and Galatians 5:1, 13-25. Paul, the author of these letters, has a lot to say to two groups of people, trying to be people of faith, together, in their respective communities about 2,000 years ago. The churches in Corinth and Galatia clearly had some things going on. Unfortunately, we as readers, in the much distant future to when these letters were written, don’t really know what those issues were. And although biblical scholars have tried and tried again to figure out the issues, they are at best guesses. Lots of inferences are made but no one can say this is exactly why Paul wrote these letters to the communities. So, we hear that people of faith are in fact “people-y” – you know they try to get along, but everyone has an opinion. Some people think this way or another. Everyone has “feelings” about everything that’s happening. We can relate to that to...

In June 2024. Louisiana Governor, Jeff Landry, signed a bill that requires the 10 Commandments, along with other historical documents, be displayed in all state funded K-12 and university classrooms by 2025. While this seems like a harmless thing and a way to strengthen or bring back the "moral fabric" of America, I stand in opposition to this law and the similar bills that are floating around several states. First - I have a hard time claiming the Protestant, Christian bible as a historical document. While some of the stories contained in the bible can be found in other accounts, that are in fact historical documents, the bible as a whole is not historical. As we know the Protestant, Christian bible - it is not in chronical order. There are multiple accounts of several stories within the bible. And from what scholars have found, the authors of the Protestant, Christian bible never claimed to be documenting history. They are sharing their experiences and trying to answer ques...

They say "grief is a funny thing." While sometimes funny things happen as part of the grief process, I'm not sure I buy into this saying.  Recently, a colleague died unexpectedly, leaving behind a partner, two adult kids and countless friends, colleagues and others. Many people are in shock and grieving the surprise of this person's death. Others are feeling some relief and PTSD as their lived experience of this person has been different from others. Watching the social media posts roll in and seeing people go at it in the comments breaks my heart a bit. Most of the comments have been about sorrow and how good this person was. Other people have chosen not to share anything and a few have expressed that they feel a relief or even sorrow because this person is not going to be held accountable for their actions against them. And people are attacking those who have not had positive experiences with this individual. As someone who has attended hundreds of deaths and offici...

Can God handle our rage? This question was posed to me this weekend by the Rev. Dr. Velda Love at the UCCB meeting in Cleveland. Simply put - yes. If we are created in God's image, with all of God's feelings included in us, then why wouldn't God be able to handle our rage? But maybe the better question is, can we, humanity, handle each other's rage? Can humanity handle God's rage? I would say no. We have a culture of stuffing feelings down or in, of not being real and honest with ourselves and others. We demonize others as being "emotional" if they express their rage. We all know the current troupe of the "angry black woman." We've heard that a woman couldn't possible by president and be left in charge of the nuclear codes because she'll become overtaken by their emotions and push the "big red button." Going back in history, most major civilizations and religions have a story of a great flood; god/gods get so enraged by huma...

The Nebraska legislator started its 2023 session with over 600 bills submitted. 3 bills targeted the LGBTQIA+ community: LB371, LB574, and LB575. I do not support any of these bills and it's a matter of faith for me. A group of Christians have decided to write the word "homosexuality" into the Bible. Jesus never speaks about the modern day concept of homosexuality. The other verses in the Bible that people claim speak about homosexuality total 6 verses, 3 in the Old Testament, 3 in the New Testament. The Bible, a book made up of 66 books, with thousands of verses only has 6 possible verses that speak to LGBTQIA+ community. In short, some Christians today are trying to justify their bigotry and hatred by putting words/concepts into sacred texts that just aren't there. They are using old tactics of twisting scripture to fit their wants/needs/desires to hate the other - standing in direct opposition to the words of Jesus, recorded in scripture.  I'm not surprised tha...

 Let's open up Kate's urban dictionary. "Unbiblical-ness" - a word whose definition is evolving - means living a life I deem faithful yet other Christians find morally repugnant and  based in my assumed lack of understanding of “true Christianity” aka their version of Christianity. I’ve decided to embrace the “unbiblical-ness” my existence seems to trigger in others. By embracing my “unbiblical-ness” I mean I’m going to stand my ground as a proud ordained, woman of faith, who speaks when the Spirit compels and do the hard work of creating a space where all know love, safety and justice. My unbiblical-ness has prompted people to call me “preacher gal” even when asked not to. My unbiblical-ness has had people attempt to block me from leaving a rally/vigil because they want to try to intimidate me to take back my statements and to” re-educate” me. My unbiblical-ness has prompted me to leave two calls because in one I dared to utter the name George Floyd and say the w...

"Which way do you want to go?" It's a phrase I've heard about 100 times too many in church services and sermons over the years. It's used to get people to do something based on fear - fear of going to hell instead of heaven. Clearly in these people and places minds, there is only one right answer and lifetimes are then spent trying to be this unattainable, damaging to self and others, shell of a person of faith. Most recently, I heard this very question asked was this past Sunday, as I walked through my house to grab something in between church services. The program on the TV was "The Pastor's Study," a show produced in Minnesota, featuring a Lutheran (which branch it's not clear other than not ELCA) pastor in a collar. I have seen this show in passing before. Sometimes, its just the pastor talking to the camera, other times its the pastor, with a grandmotherly figure, sitting at a table, doing a question-and-answer format. This past Sunday, the ...

 On Friday, June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court ruled, in a 6/3 decision, to repeal Roe v. Wade - the 1973 ruling that federally protected a women's right to full reproductive healthcare, including abortion, on the basis of the right to privacy. I have been fairly quiet on the subject and a few folks have asked me about my thoughts.  First let me address why I took time to respond to this decision. It is not a surprise that I am a Pro Choice, female, ordained clergy person. I have been for over 21 years (yes, my thoughts and perspectives changed a while ago on the subject). I have written countless federal and state legislators, sat in elected people's offices waiting to speak with those elected to represent me, spoken before state legislator committees and hearings, signed petitions, financially supported groups that work hard to ensure a woman's choice to full reproductive healthcare. I have done a lot of work, shared from what feels like my core. Friday's decision, n...

I often leave the TV on for my dog when I leave the house. Yesterday, a TV preacher came up on the screen. I usually don't pay that much attention as I'm leaving but his words (of course it's an old, white man, telling us what the Bible says) struct me and made me sad that this was the teaching being shared with a large audience.  The preacher kept saying that "God loves you but 'he' loves the faithful more." "God loves you but 'he' loves those fighting for God more." He had a whole litany of these sayings. A few also had the word "but" in them. "God love you but only if..." It was clear that there was a mandate of being their version of Christian. The list made it clear that it was either this or that - an all or nothing to being loved by God.  I cringe at this because if this were the truth about God and God's love - I don't think anyone would be loved by God. Of course, the preacher had all kinds of proof te...

I’m a minister and I care about ministerial credentials. This is partially why I enjoy my work on my association’s COM (Committee on Ministry - we work with those who have ministerial standing and those who are discerning a call to ministerial). I’d like to think that I’m fairly good at it. I have gone to college and seminary and keep up with certificates and continuing education yearly. I find this to be important because I want to be the best I can be and faith is constantly evolving along with the scholarship. So I am very bothered when I see colleagues who don’t do continuing education. I’m gravely concerned about people who think they can become pastors simply by going online and paying a fee or taking a one weekend class. I’m not saying that lay people, those who don’t go to seminary or divinity school, cannot become great, well rounded pastors. I fully support alternative routes to ministry and if I was looking at going into ministry today, I would probably use an alternative ...

With the election of 45 as the leader of the free world, there has been a resurgence of pro-life. With plans to reform the Affordable Care Act (ACA or more properly known as Obamacare) and the state of Iowa attempting to reform Medicaid, folks have been rallying to cut funding from healthcare providers that offer full women's health services, including abortions. Planned Parenthood has been the main target of these rallies, despite the fact that no federal or state funds can be used to pay for abortion services. But I digress from the point of this blog. There has been a call for folks to rally around being Pro-Life in the political sphere. What I find interesting and puzzling at the same time, is that the same people who insist that life starts at the moment of conception and all babies must be born, despite who they were created or if they're wanted also argue that we need to cut funding for social programs that include but are not limited too: Head Start, senior meal progr...

In this heated season (political, race relations, environmental issues, women's rights and the list goes on for way too long), I feel the need to proclaim that I'm a minister and I'm not an oxymoron. I do not preach my political views from the pulpit - you will never hear me say you should or should not vote for a certain candidate and I refuse all of the "helpful pamphlets" that will help my congregation decide who to vote for - it is also not hard for people to figure out that I am more aligned with one of the major political party than another. Living in a small town, people recognized my car at my designated caucusing site, and once that hit the town's gossip circuit everyone knew my business. And once everyone knew my political affiliation the comments began - "you can't possible be a minister and be a (political party) member." Not only is this no one's business and I have the right to vote as I choose, no it is not impossible to be a...

It's that time of year where every weekend, as you go out, you will hear the phrase "would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?" Girl Scout cookie season, loved by those of us who need our yearly "fix" and yet it is also one of the most despised times of the year by some Christian groups who want to protest the sales of Girl Scout cookies. Here's are two reasons for protesting Girl Scout cookies: Girl Scouts, along with many other non profit organizations, receive grant money from the United Way. Planned Parenthood also happens to receive money from United Way. Because of the this, groups who are anti-abortion believe that by buying Girl Scout cookies, it is money going to support Planned Parenthood. Second arguement is that we have lost our "Christian way" and we need to come back to being more faith based. So as a lifetime member of Girl Scouts (I'm celebrating 25 years of girl and adult membership - gee I'm old now), active leade...

  The “war on Christmas” has begun. Or at least that’s what some Christians want us to think. Because  Starbucks , a company that has never claimed to be Christian, chose to have red cups without snowflakes, Santa or reindeer on them (just a reminder that none of those are Christian symbols), there is a "war on Christmas."   Once the “cup controversy” hit the news, old articles and videos came back about how using the abbreviation “Xmas” was anti Christmas and Christian. To address the "Xmas controversy," let’s learn a little Greek. X or “Chi” is the first Greek letter used in spelling “Christ” and is a common Christian symbol representing Jesus Christ. Therefore Xmas is Christian and appropriate for Christmas.   But regardless of what we choose to learn and teach about what’s Christian or not, I’d like to pose two bigger questions: why does the color of a coffee cup mean a person’s faith is being questioned and why do Christians feel that just because...

  In the church I currently serve, we celebrate communion on the first Sunday of the month. Everytime we celebrate communion I always conclude the meditation and the Words of Institution with an invitation to the talbe that includes the following: Come to the table because this is God's table. It's not the table of this congregation or this denomination, but God's. Because of that you all are welcome here.   Some of my church members think that I just like to repeat myself. But I say this for theological reasons. All too often churches like to put up boundries to participation in the full life of the church: membership requirements, approval by the pastor, counsel/boards, reciting certain creeds/belief statements, etc. While these are more formal reasons that churches bar people from full participation in all aspects of the church, there are informal ways of keeping people from full participation: unwelcoming, rumor mills, creative ways of making sure people are not includ...