Comments on: leaving church

By: revabi

revabi — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 16:37:18 +0000

Well written post on the book. And good insights on your part too. I think like you do in terms of sharing myself with the congregation. I think there is a price to pay by being different one way and another.

I agree with Songbird that she rushed to write a book about this part of her life.

Great discussion to what you wrote. I think it is food for thought for our own ministries.

By: aside: bbt at reverendmother

aside: bbt at reverendmother — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 02:23:28 +0000

[…] Interesting conversation going on here about BBT’s Leaving Church. The RevGals inaugural book study! I also blogged about the book here. […]

By: Rev. Dr. Mom

Rev. Dr. Mom — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 05:51:00 +0000

And of course, she hasn’t completely left church, either. She’s still a priest, she’s still a highly sought after preacher; she just isn’t in parish ministry anymore–and hasn’t been for several years now.

I was a bit sad when I read her book. Reading in “Preaching Life” about her struggling with her call to priesthood was important to me when I was discerning my own call. I think that she expected too much; others have said that she had a “messiah complex”. I might more simply say that she burned out by (possibly) overextending herself.

By: purechristianithink

purechristianithink — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 05:32:00 +0000

I agree with PPB that she didn’t reflect sufficiently on the impact that becoming a “rock star” of the preaching world had on her faith, identity and ministry. I heard a second or third hand story of her over-hearing a couple who had come to Clarksville specifically to hear The Great Preacher muttering to each other on their way out to the car, “Well I didn’t think she was all that great . . .” That’s gotta do a number on you for sure.

By: Cheesehead

Cheesehead — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 00:19:00 +0000

Well…my little church is doing pretty okay.

And…I’m not a workaholic. I’m just not.

By: ppb

ppb — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 22:38:00 +0000

The public attention is just what I was referring to—-she was asked, for example, to deliver the Beecher Lectures while pastoring a little tiny church, she was invited to preach all over the country (and imagine getting a pulpit supply at that location.) She was facing book deals, and dealing with all that correspondence. She got so many visitors at her tiny country church (from people who had heard her at one of these events) that they had to go to 2 services. I’m not saying it was a bad thing, but imagine handling all of those things while still covering a little parish that has people in the hospital and a recalcitrant furnace.

By: Sue

Sue — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 21:47:00 +0000

PPB - The United Church of Canada did away with the labels “Senior” and “Associate” several years ago in order to attain the kind of work equity you mentioned. One is either order of ministry personnel (ordained or diaconal) or Lay Designated ministry personnel. Period. The expectation is that all clergy will be treated equitably under this policy.

However, in practice, this is not always the case. I was a part-time freshly ordained minister working with a near-retirement male clergy who was full time. No matter what we did or said, I was always perceived as his “little helper.” ~sigh~

On BBT’s book - one observation I made after I read it was that her description of “everyday” ministry included activities that I simply don’t encounter. she spoke of very dramatic things like posting bail, visiting on death row, closing the eyes on a deceased person and other really intense experiences. Maybe ministry in Georgia is that much different from the Middle of Nowhere, Canada, but I doubt it. It just struck me as a bit overstated.

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 20:41:00 +0000

I’d think a smartass answer would help, not just “I’m a preacher.”

Along the lines of “I’m a preacher.” (Beat.) “I DAMN PEOPLE TO HELL!”

Maybe it’s good I’m not a preacher.

By: NotShyChiRev

NotShyChiRev — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 20:37:00 +0000

Oh, and as for the public/common response to being a pastor…try being a pastor in the Gay Men’s Chorus….talk about a situation when your mere existence baffles people…a complete conversation killer…at least at first.

By: reverendmother

reverendmother — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 20:17:00 +0000

In the case of BBT I think it meant book deals and invitations to the conference/lecture circuit.

I’m sure she has her share of nutjobs too. And I think people flocked to her tiny little church afterward. Kinda like the people who go to Plains GA to visit Jimmy Carter’s Sunday School class.