Tag: ministry
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In the realm of the nones
I’m excited to share my most recent essay published in The Christian Century that highlights my work as a college chaplain. The “Nones” are defined as those who claim no religious affiliation and I meet many of them in my ministry. Here is a link to my article entitled, In the realm of the nones: Reflections of […]
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There’s a Woman in the Pulpit
Everywhere I have served as a pastor I have had a group of clergywomen to whom I could turn for support and encouragement—a safe space to talk with colleagues who understood. Women pastors need such spaces because, even though we are less and less unique (as of 2013 36% of Presbyterian Church (USA) pastors are […]
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Out of My Zone: A Pastor Attends AWP
I decided to stand out today as I got dressed for my first AWP Conference (Association of Writers and Writing Programs). So I pulled on my gray wool dress pants, black ballet flats and a black blouse. When I registered yesterday I noticed a lot of body piercings, black framed eye-glasses, leggings and boots (Doc […]
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Writing teaches writing
After reading this article by Ben Huberman at The Daily Post I clicked over to the Paris Review to read their full interview of John McPhee in a new series called “The Art of Nonfiction.” I always appreciate reading about the process of successful writers. Typically, I find myself inspired to write after reading how […]
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The Practice of Doing Nothing: Sitting with my Suffering (Part 1)
Do all funeral directors believe death takes precedence over life? Or just the ones I have to work with? I got “the call” from our local funeral director informing me that there had been a death in our community. The family (whom I did not know and do not serve as pastor) had requested that […]
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The Burden of Judgment
Thomas Merton stood at the corner of Fourth and Walnut, in a busy shopping district of Louisville, Kentucky, when he was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that he loved all those people. That they were his and he was theirs, that they could not be alien to one another even though they were total strangers.[1] […]
Teri McDowell Ott 