Ask a Pastor Anything
By Bailey Brawner
Questions are all across the board, like how to practice self-care, what seminary taught us, and what God says about *insert hot topic here*.
The best part? The questions come from you, so ask away!
None of us are experts, and none of us know all the answers. But we all have experiences and a story that can open up some great conversation.
Ask a Pastor AnythingMay 11, 2020
Rachael Ward: How Do I Know If Seminary Is For Me?
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Send in your question via voice message: anchor.fm/askapastoranything/message
About Our Guest:
Rachael Ward (pronouns: they/them) is an Atlanta-based queer public theologian, writer, seminarian and podcaster. Rachael wonders often what it means to be human and how to nurture one another from a spiritual lens. Engaging the world as a pastoral theologian, Rachael uses narrative to usher forward redemptive movement in the lives of others and in their ow work. Their work lives at the intersection of sexuality, gender, faith and grief care. Rachael attends Columbia Theological Seminary where they are a degree candidate for a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Practical Theology, focused within Pastoral Care. This fall, Rachael will present at the national American Academy for Religion Conference on Living-Death within Queer Bodies.
Connect with Rachael:
Social Handles: @queerinfaith
http://howtobehumanpodcast.buzzsprout.com
Connect with Bailey:
Rev. Brandan Robertson: What’s a Theological Issue You Changed Your Mind About?
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Send in your question via voice message: anchor.fm/askapastoranything/message
About Our Guest:
Rev. Brandan Robertson (he/him) is a noted author, activist, theologian, and pastor, working at the intersections of spirituality and social renewal. He currently serves as the Lead Pastor of Missiongathering Christian Church in San Diego, CA and is the host of the Quest Podcast.
Connect with Brandan:
Connect with Bailey:
https://linktr.ee/baileynbrawner
Sponsorships: off for this episode
How Do You Create Healthy Boundaries in Your Work When it's Also a Calling?
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About Our Guest: Jayde Dunkerley (She/Her) is the associate pastor at Lake Oswego United Methodist. She has served on staff at churches as well as nonprofits, prisons, and hospitals in Alabama and Georgia. She loves the local church and the neighborhood and strives to create space for both to be in communion with one another. (If that is not enough you can include: If she's not the church or a community meeting she can be found taking her dog for a walk, having a game night with friends, or reading in her garden!)
Connect with Bailey: https://linktr.ee/baileynbrawner
In a Political World, How Do You Deal With the Expectation that You Shouldn’t Be? (Paige Holaday)
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About Our Guest:
Paige Holaday (She/Her) works in campus ministry in Miami, Florida. Paige is a graduate of Boston University School of Theology, and a candidate for ministry in the United Methodist Church. When she's not doing campus ministry work, Paige loves Marvel movies and craft beer!
Connect with Paige's Work:
Instagram: @UnitedWesleyUM, @UnitedWesley.FIU
Connect with Bailey:
linktr.ee/baileynbrawner
What Do You Do With Your Doubts When Sharing a Message of Hope and Certainty? (Rev. Sarah Welch-Pomerantz)
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Send in your question via voice message: anchor.fm/askapastoranything/message
About Our Guest:
Rev. Sarah Welch-Pomerantz is the pastor at the Community Church of Cedar Grove, New Jersey where she encourages people to explore their faith outside the bounds of traditional Christianity. She is a graduate of Drew Theological Seminary where she is currently working towards a Doctor of Ministry. When she is not at the church, you can find Sarah hiking with her wife, Bailey Jo Welch-Pomerantz or watching the New York Giants play. She is also a proud foster parent and loves her cats and Star Wars a little too much. You can connect with her on Twitter at @sarahpomerantz.
Connect with Sarah:
Twitter: @sarahpomerantz
Connect with Bailey:
What Has Implementing Change Looked Like in Your Context? (with Pastor Kori Pacyniak)
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Send in your question via voice message: anchor.fm/askapastoranything/message
About Our Guest:
Kori (they/them) joined the pastoral team of Mary Magdalene Apostle Catholic Community (MMACC) in January of 2017, coming from a background in academia and non-profit work that focused on queer and trans theology, work with veterans and survivors of trauma, and church communications. Kori's ministry focuses on those at the margins of church and society, particularly queer and trans communities.
Kori holds a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Harvard Divinity School with a concentration in queer theology and a Master of Sacred Theology (STM) from Boston University School of Theology with a concentration in Trauma and Theology with work that focused on LGBTQ veterans and service members. Kori has a passion for traveling and has studied in Rome, Poland, and Brazil and has participated in several social justice trips and pilgrimages to Israel and Palestine. Kori previously served as parish intern at St. Luke's and St. Margaret's in Boston, assistant chaplain at Suffolk University, scholar in residence at the Religious Institute and is a member of the steering committee for TransEpiscopal.
Kori was ordained a deacon in June of 2019 and a priest in February of 2020, becoming the first transgender and non-binary person ordained through Roman Catholic Women Priests (RCWP). Kori is also pursuing a PhD in Religious Studies at the University of California at Riverside, focusing on Queer and Trans Studies in Religion and currently lives with their queerplatonic partner & four cats in San Diego. When not buried in books, Kori can be found playing in the garden or exploring national parks.
Connect with Kori:
Twitter: @KPacyniak
Instagram: @korinkidink
MMACC website - http://mmacc.org
Connect with Bailey:
https://linktr.ee/baileynbrawner
Episode Transcript:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-NHXHzgtzgSqwez_ILeV_6bm2sYybievGyBHQghQLNU/edit?usp=sharing
How Do You Manage a Life/Ministry Balance? (with Rev. Alicia Vélez Stewart)
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Send in your question via voice message: anchor.fm/askapastoranything/message
About Our Guest:
Rev. Alicia Vélez Stewart (she/her) is a graduate of Suffolk University in Boston, MA and received her Masters of Divinity from Boston University’s School of Theology. Mom of 4 (not including the pets!), she is pastor of the Bridgewater United Methodist Church in Bridgewater, MA and also serves as chair of the Greater Bridgewater Interfaith Council and as Pastor-in-Residence at Camp Aldersgate in N. Scituate, RI. Rev. Velez Stewart is passionate about social justice and facilitating difficult conversations around race, ethnicity, and what it means to create a “beloved community,” both within the institutional church and local communities.
Connect with Alicia:
Alicia's Instagram: instagram.com/momologian
www.bridgewaterunitedmethodist.com
Connect with Bailey:
https://linktr.ee/baileynbrawner
Episode Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tJ4lc49FLFS1T5it4woUs_fGWprXEqHB40HuCdpmC4I/edit?usp=sharing
Why Don't We Talk About Sex in the Church? (With Matthias Roberts)
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Send in your question via voice message: anchor.fm/askapastoranything/message
About Our Guest:
Matthias Roberts is author of Beyond Shame: Creating a Healthy Sex Life on Your Own Terms (Fortress, 2020) and host of Queerology: A Podcast on Belief and Being which was named as one of the "12 Best LGBTQ+ Podcasts of 2020" by O: The Oprah Magazine and the #1 Podcast to Listen to on National Coming Out Day by Radio.com. He holds two master's degrees, one in theology and culture and one in counseling psychology from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. In his psychotherapy practice, Matthias specializes in helping LGBTQ+ teens and adults live confident and fulfilling lives. He writes and speaks nationwide about the intersections between gender, sexuality, mental health, and theology.
Connect with Matthias:
Website: matthiasroberts.com
Social Media: @matthiasroberts
Queerology Podcast on Instagram: @queerologypod
Buy Matthias' Book: matthiasroberts.com/beyondshame/
Connect with Bailey:
https://linktr.ee/baileynbrawner
Episode Transcript: docs.google.com/document/d/1HiW3ZCGj_pGi7QbQkWl6o5hsfMtbv9XhMz2WbtsNZRg/edit?usp=sharing
How Can My Belief In God Get Stronger? (With Rev. Carly Payne)
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About Our Guest:
Rev. Carly Payne (she/her/hers,) is a United Methodist Pastor in Grapevine, TX focusing on discipleship. With a background in camping, youth, and college ministry, Carly is passionate about helping others to grow in their faith. She recently completed her Master of Divinity degree from Boston University School of Theology, and enjoys hopping from one crafting hobby to another.
Resources Mentioned by Carly:
-Examen Method of Prayer: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/
-Love Big by Rozella Haydée White: https://www.rozellahwhite.com/lovebig
Connect with Bailey:
https://linktr.ee/baileynbrawner
Episode Transcript:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9gf5LgZuACIZ7KklOgQQ8jUAWZg6NFHURrTgqWXWQ0/edit?usp=sharing
How Do you Meet People Outside your Faith Community? (With Rev. Elizabeth Hurd)
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Send in your question via voice message: anchor.fm/askapastoranything/message
About Our Guest:
Rev. Elizabeth Hurd (She/Her) is a Provisional Elder in the United Methodist Church in Michigan, currently serving Caledonia UMC in Caledonia, MI. She loves getting out into nature and finding God in creation, especially through camp ministry and hiking. She loves Doctor Who, comedy, and her dog, Lucy.
Connect with Elizabeth:
Twitter: @elizanhurd
Instagram: @e.a.hurd
Caledonia UMC Facebook Page: @caledoniaunitedmethodist
Caledonia UMC Instagram: @caledoniaunitedmethodist
Connect with Bailey:
https://linktr.ee/baileynbrawner
Episode Transcript:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MjR6TQIsRRAZpr2Fw5Uth32kyUuixVtPC3pvELWxsDU/edit?usp=sharing
Introducing...Ask a Pastor Anything!
Instagram: @askapastoranything
Connect with Bailey:
Instagram: @baileynbrawner
Twitter: @baileynbrawner