RevGals on God Complex Radio

Our beloved RevGals leader, Martha Spong, is interviewed on God Complex Radio by RevGal Carol Howard Merritt here.

It's an interesting conversation about the formation of the RevGals community and our struggles along the way as well as blogging communities and the future of blogging in general.

Martha, as always, is a winsome and inspirational advocate for RevGals.

Happy 5th Birthday RevGalBlogPals!

Today we celebrate the birthday of the RevGalBlogPals webring! Check out the story of the beginnings of this group on today's post by Songbird.

I was fortunate to be among the "founding mothers" of the group. I was a very newbie blogger who had just found St. Casserole's blog and was looking for others like it.

Who would have thought it would grow to over 300 members and that I would dust off my attorney hat to create a non-profit organization for the group? Who would have thought that my recipe for the Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake would morph into the RevGals Solidarity Cake?

If you haven't checked them out, this is the perfect time to do so. The webring's blog has regular features that are unique in the blogosphere--especially Ask The Matriarchs (where newly minted pastors can ask questions to a group of experienced women pastors) and the every popular Saturday Preacher Party which allows pastors to exchange their sermon ideas, based on the revised common lectionary, for the next day's services.

Happy, happy birthday to all the RevGals and Pals!

What Not To Wear Alert!

Here's a Must See TV alert for all my RevGal friends--mark your calendars for this Friday evening, 9 Eastern/8 Central time on TLC.

My favorite reality show, What Not To Wear, features one of your own as the subject of Clinton and Stacey's makeover. The promo for this new episode says "Emily is your typical single girl with one divine difference... she's an Episcopal priest. She may have been called by a higher power but her friends and family called Stacy and Clinton. Can Emily find a feminine style that balances her youthful energy?"

Usually WNTW is very good at finding styles that are appropriate for the profession or lifestyle of their subjects. What will they do with Emily? Did they consult PeaceBang of Beauty Tips for Ministers fame?

Can't wait to see....

Best of the Blogs: Online Minister Moms

I don't always call attention to the Best of the Blogs articles that I write for the PCUSA's denominational magazine, Presbyterians Today, but I do always link them on my sidebar.

But I think many of my Gentle Readers will be interested in reading the most recent article "Online Minister Moms" because it features four members of the RevGalBlogPals webring, three of whom are also PresbyBloggers: Jan Edmiston of A Church for Starving Artists, Carol Howard Merrit of Tribal Church, Melissa DeRosia of Sacred Screaming and UCC pastor Martha Hoverson (a/k/a Songbird) of Reflectionary.

The theme of the January/February issue of Presbyterians Today is ministers who are also mothers, so you may want to check out the other articles posted online here.

My thanks to each of them for taking the time to answer my questions for the article!

Author To join Book Pals Discussion Next Monday

Here's a heads-up for my Gentle Readers: next Monday I will host a discussion of The Alto Wore Tweed by Mark Schweizer at the RevGalBlogPals blog. I discovered and reviewed that book and one of its companions in Schweizer's Liturgical Mysteries series last year. Since then, I've read ALL of the books, including the latest: The Diva Wore Diamonds. (The links I gave are to the publisher's website but all are available on amazon.com as well.)

And here's the exciting news--the author, Mark Schweizer, has agreed to join the discussion! So if you would like to ask him some questions -- like what inspired him to write the books or his musical parodies like The Pirate Eucharist and The Weasel Cantata--please join the discussion on Monday by going to the RevGalBlogPals link.

More Virtual Advent Retreating

This afternoon's post at the RevGals Virtual Advent retreat focuses on the story of the Annunciation -- the angel Gabriel visits Mary and tells her that she will become pregnant with the Messiah (Luke 1:26-38).

I believe that we continue to encounter God today, but it is seldom in such a dramatic fashion. In my experience, God seems to manifest Himself in more subtle ways. He nudges me through the voices of others or by creating circumstances for me to respond to. The season of Advent reminds me that when I don't take the time to watch, wait and listen for God's guidance--He nudges me a bit harder the next time.

Mary had no doubt that the Angel Gabriel was a true messenger from God, but I am not always sure that the nudge is Godly or a manifestation of my own will. When I have been very sure, it is usually because I have prayed for guidance. When I don't pray for that guidance, God has to "re-send" that nudge to get my attention.

Thanks be for those Godly nudges!

Virtual Retreating

I'm joining in the RevGals Virtual Advent retreat this morning a bit late, so I am combing my response to the first two reflections. If you want to join in, go here.

Since this is the first day of the month, I did my accounts before joining the retreat. We don't usually think of Advent as season that emphasizes accounting in the way that Lent is. But I think Advent nudges us to do some accounting in our hearts in order to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ.

The powerfully poignant opening solo of Handel's Messiah, "Comfort Ye", emphasizes the twin Advent themes of repentance and redemption. I like the way The Message words these verses:

"Comfort, oh comfort my people," says your God. "Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem, but also make it very clear That she has served her sentence, that her sin is taken care of—forgiven! She's been punished enough and more than enough, and now it's over and done with."
Isaiah 40: 1-2

Today I am also preparing Thursday's lesson for my Bible Study Discussion group. Our memory verse this week, appropriately enough is:

If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear them from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

I am called to humble myself and seek God's face in this season of Advent and pray for that redemption promised in the coming of Christ. Comfort my people, comfort me with the knowledge that our sins are taken care of--forgiven!

One of the ways in which I am 'making straight in the desert the highway of our God' is by simplifying my preparations for Christmas this year. We're cutting back on the gift-giving, house decorating and seasonal "busy-ness" by not exchanging gifts with other adults in the family, winnowing that old stash of Christmas stuff that I used to put all around the house and vowing not to try to out-Martha-Martha (Stewart, that is) in the hospitality department. Setting out a few take-out dishes and taking some shortcuts reduces the stress of being with family and friends.

RevGals Virtual Advent Retreat

The creative folks at RevGalBlogPals are hosting a Virtual Advent Retreat this coming Monday, December 1.

Here's how it works: early in the morning, mid-morning and afternoon reflection posts for Advent 2,3 and 4 will be posted by different facilitators. You can use the reflection pieces for contemplation or writing prompts. Participants are encouraged to leave their responses in the comments or post them on their own blogs.

What a great way to come together in cyberspace and prepare our hearts for the Advent season!

Mark your calendar and join us.

Big Event Pic

Here's my now-traditional (okay I only did it once before, but who's counting?) RevGal meetup Pedi-Pic. I took it on the first day onboard the ship.

I came home to find myself deluged with stuff to do, so I apologize in advance for not posting more details about the event. Suffice to say that the company was excellent and I very much enjoyed meeting everyone that I had not met before. My friend, Mary Marcotte, who led the event did a wonderful job and I think that everyone felt that out theme of "self-care" was certainly carried out on the cruise. If they didn't, you could have fooled me!

One of the most important things that I realized from the meeting was that you really don't know a blogger as well as you think you did until you meet her and spend some "quality time" together. Getting the opportunity to complete the picture I had in my head of many of them was a blessing indeed. There's nothing like spending hours watching the wake of the ship on the aft deck to create and deepen friendships.

Thanks be to God!

Big Event

It's mid-afternoon and I'm finally about to start packing for the RevGals "Big Event". I got delayed by an email from Queenie and Doc asking me to sing at their wedding which made me a bit verklempt.

So talk amongst yourselves. Here's your topic: How can it be that the most economical option for our meeting turned out to be a long weekend on a cruise ship?

Ok. I'm better now. I promise a full report (within a reasonable time) after getting back Monday afternoon. It will be fun to travel and room with the lovely and gracious zorra and my friend Mary who will be our "retreat" leader. There will be no blogging while away because the cost of internet access on the ship is Ginormous.

RGBP Inc. F2F

I'm off by the dawn's early light tomorrow morning to Atlanta for the first RGBP Inc. face-to-face meeting of the board of directors. I'm so pumped!

We formed the corporation, approved the by-laws, elected the officers and had several business meetings through the miracle of modern technology. However there comes a point when trying to conduct a meeting via chatroom and/or email is just too inefficient.

So we're gathering in the Atlanta area today through Wednesday, thanks to Reverendmommy who arranged for her church to host our meeting and who is acting as facilitator for the meeting. Each director is traveling at her own expense, too. That's how dedicated this group is to making RGBP Inc. successful. The main item on the agenda is planning for the Big Event (a conference for RGBP Inc.), in 2008.

Mary Beth, fellow Texas blogger, is the only one of the group I've had the pleasure of meeting in person. I've talked on the phone to Songbird several times, but other than that only know these friends through their blogs and comments. Yet I feel like they are already good friends. What a blessing.

Bloggers that we are, I'm sure we'll be posting from Atlanta the next couple of days.

Legal-Type BoilerPlate and Small Print: QG has picked up several new readers in the last few months who may not be familiar with the RevGals webring or why we formed a non-profit corporation. (Click on the hyper-linked text for more information.) We received our 501-c-3 designation from the IRS and so we are eligible to receive grants and tax-deductible contributions.

Next RevGalBookPals Selection

Dear Readers:
I'm cross-posting this post from RevGalBlogPals. You don't have to be a member of RGBP to read the book and comment on the discussion I'm hosting on that blog July 25. Join us!

QG’s TOP TEN REASONS FOR READING
A VISION OF LIGHT by Judith Merkle Riley

10. You need a book to read on vacation that is diverting, but not ploddingly predictable or a bodice ripper that you will want to hide from the children or the disapproving gaze of your in-laws.

9. It was written by a professor of political science, but is NOT about politics.

8. Historical fiction depicting women with appropriate sensibilities to the era of the novel is hard to find. There’s no “ Gwynth plead with her father for a suit of armor so she could joust like her brother Garth” type stuff in this book. That sort of thing makes QG toss a book away in disgust.

7. Margaret of Asbury is one of the best characters in modern historical fiction—she’s complex, charming and intriguing.

6. God makes an appearance (or two or three) in the story.

5. If you thought your ex-husband or ex-boyfriend were Bad News, read about Margaret’s First Husband From Hell and be comforted.

4. One of the themes of the book is the power of knowledge and the importance of reading and writing.

3. A second theme is the ways in which the church of the Middle Ages failed to meet the spiritual needs of the people.

2. The most important theme is the ways in which God can choose an ordinary person, like Margaret, to heal people injured in body and spirit.

And the number 1 reason to read A VISION OF LIGHT is:

It’s the topic for the RevGalBookPals discussion on July 25 and you still have time to order it from the RevGals Amazon store, read it and join our discussion that day!

RevGalBookPals Discussion: Walking The Bible

Today I'm hosting the RevGalBookPals discussion of Bruce Feiler's book, Walking The Bible, over at the RevGalBlogPals blog. You don't have to be a member of the RevGalBlogPals webring to join in the discussion. So if you're interested in joining in, or just want to read some insightful and lively commentary about the book, click on this link.
See you there!

More than a Cake--Its a "Grace Cake"

Back on July 4, 2005, when I was just a newbie blogger, I wrote a post titled: The Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake, A Fourth of July Tradition.

The post drew several comments and lo, it came to pass that making, baking and talking about that cake became a catalyst for the formation of the RevGalBlogPals webring (now numbering more than 300 members from around the world representing many different Christian denominations and traditions), and the publication of two books of devotions written by members, and the organization of RevGalBlogPals, Inc.

Songbird, one of the founding members of the ring, and the president of RevGalBlogPals, Inc., is a UCC minister in Maine. Recently she posted a picture of the Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake that she made at her daughter's request for her birthday and reminisced about how that cake played a role in drawing the RevGalPals all together. The recipe is included in both my link above and Songbird's link here, so click on one of them to get it.

This morning Songbird was still talking about the cake. Songbird took that post and rewrote it for her weekly column in a local newspaper. You can read her column here. In the column, she called the cake the "Grace Cake". And so it has become. It's not about me or my blog at all--the name reminds us that God's grace can use a computer, the internet, weblogs and a cake recipe to bring us together and bless a community of believers.

Thanks be to God!