by Ann Bonner-Stewart Fidelia's Sisters is seeking new editorial board members! Editorial board members each serve as a column editors for the e-zine you're currently reading, soliciting and editing pieces for monthly publication. Editorial board members also participate in monthly online editorial chats. Editorial board members are part of the larger Young Clergy Women project [...]
Flex-time vs. Flexibility
by Name Withheld There is a postcard taped to the wall over my desk with a picture of Olivia (the pig, for those not familiar with children’s literature), and she is walking across a tightrope with a look on her face that does not inspire confidence. Also on the wall over my workspace: a print [...]
Renewing Creativity
photographs by Elizabeth Marie Melchionna Most of us have reached the point where creativity withers or sometimes ceases. When that happens, some type of change—of scenery, of routine, whatever– can help. After Christmas this past year, the Rev. Elizabeth Marie Melchionna took a paddling trip in the Everglades. She came back not only refreshed, ready [...]
Lost My Religion…or My Religion Lost Me
by Katie Z. Dawson While I am a married clergy person, I’m sure that many of the people in my congregation think of me as a single person. You see, my husband isn't involved at all in church life. This whole church and religion thing just isn't what makes him comfortable and he's definitely not [...]
Spring Pruning: A Sermon on John 15:1-8
by Vicki Flippin On the night on which he gave himself up for us, Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” God my Father and Mother is the vine grower–the gardener. She removes any branches that don’t bear fruit. Every branch that does bear fruit, she prunes, to make [...]
Sabbatical Planning
by Ruth Sorenson-Prokosch Looking to spend time with a 30 something woman to see what sparks her imagination when she doesn’t have the day to day demands of work. It looks like a personals ad, but it really is the heading for my sabbatical planning sheet. I have 8 weeks coming up with which to [...]
The Sex Question
Name Withheld Even though online dating is widespread and fairly socially acceptable these days, there is something a little humiliating to me about having succumbed to it. I still haven’t gotten used to the idea of putting myself out there in this, “Hey, look at me, don’t you want to date me?” way. Every time [...]
Minister or Fraud?
by Lara Blackwood Pickrel (This article includes quotes from a blog by Julie Clawson that can be found at: Sojourners) Over the course of the past ten years, my cache of ministerial experience has changed in so many ways. I’ve served in four different ministry settings, learned how to navigate my denomination’s search and call [...]
Organic Jesus
by Sarah Segal McCaslin Last August, my husband, 6 month-old daughter Claire and I took a trip to Santa Cruz, California, to introduce our young daughter to my husband’s family for the first time. Remarkably, the entire family still lives within a few miles of one another, making the commute between homes easy. Up and [...]