False personas of piety

Thinking about...
...the tension between wanting a model for doing a certain job/living out a ministerial call while realizing that you may be called to do something new...so stepping out on faith and driving one's drive is key in living out a call. I hear this a lot from our students and ministry candidates across the connection. I trust that the tension helps us move forward in what we need to do in the world. 


Reading...
Here is an interesting piece that reveals some truth about challenges clergy (pastors/persons leading in a local church, primarily) face. This article is true...but it also seems like it is a reflection of burnout. These truths are important for clergy and laity alike to know and understand...but I was amazingly thankful for Peacebang's response to his post. 

She talks about how important it is to break down false personas of piety that clergy can put on, and how these personas are just simply not helpful or healthy. She discusses how all people (clergy and laity) can and should work together for the greater good - great stuff! I think that authenticity is key when people are following a call, and those who are not willing to be authentic in response to the gifts and graces the Divine has placed in them...well. It's not healthy for them or for the communities they serve. 

She then redirects the conversation to have an honest discussion about burnout and healthy workplaces...which is very important. So. There's that. And here's another helpful article about helpful policies and resources for clergy burnout. 


To watch...
There are a couple of shows I'd like to start watching:
Battlestar Gallactica (everyone says so!)
Downton Abbey
Big Bang Theory


Laughing about...
Riker ipsum - this is lorem ipsum dummy text from Commander Riker's dialogue on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Love it.  


Listening to...
Hanging On (Draper Remix) - Ellie Goulding
Easy - Mat Zo and Porter Robinson
Radioactive - Imagine Dragons (does listening to Imagine Dragons make me cool?)
The Longest Road (Deadmau5 Remix) by Morgan Page