Brother Fire

This is probably one of the best lessons on "what is missional" that I've seen. You will find it to be a gift. It's worth the hour view.

I have tried to live a missional life as long as I can remember. I think that I've tried to live a missional life longer than I've known what it means to live a missional life. Some might say that I live an alternative lifestyle. Others might say that I've made some poor decisions when choosing the direction of my life: "Don't go into the helping professions -- you'll never make any money." And one of my favorite comments: "If you got paid for half the volunteer work you've done, you'd be rich!" I see these observations as a sure sign that I'm living missionally. When I say that I live a missional life, it means that I live as though I've been sent to proclaim the Word not only through traditional means (i.e. leading a faith community), but rather living the Gospel in my life's work by modeling Christian living in my day-to-day activities, living the Great Commission -- Missio Dei, everyday! To me, missional is not a technique...

I love being Catholic. I especially love being a progressive, Independent Catholic. I'm at a synod meeting of our li'l denomination (the United American Catholic Church) and I am so proud of the work that we do. I am reading a couple of different books that talk about what many hate about church -- specifically about the mixed message of churches who talk about mission but don't DO mission. We are a church of doers! My hope is that I can plant, build and grow a church of doers. By the way, the picture above is (from left to right): Bishop Anthony Hash, Father Christopher Ross, myself and Father Tom Shortell.

As I study for the priesthood and discern my future ministry, I can't help but wonder: will I be able to effectively harness my calling toward building a missional church in the independent sacramental movement? I feel called to build a church who's mission is first and foremost consistent with the great commission (Matthew 28: 18-20) and seeks to bring the Gospel to all the Nations; a church that puts faith in action, not one that passively waits for the masses to enter her doors. Often the term 'missional church' is described vaguely. I like the way Mark Powell describes it in this video. Can an ISM church truly be a missional church? I think so. Peace.

Last week the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith released a pronouncement that those who were baptized with the celebrant using a phrase other than the words: "in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit" must be re-baptized. This pronouncement was in response to questions about the use of other phraseology by protestant & feminist ministers such as "Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier." According to the pronouncement, those who have been baptized by a minister or priest who used such phraseology should be considered unbaptized in the Christian faith. According to the statement that was approved by Pope Benedict XVI (another example of what my friend Ginger calls "creeping infallibility"), Jesus ordered his apostles to baptize Christians "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," that any other language does not adequately express the Trinitarian nature of God. I find it disappointing that the Vatica...

Many of the Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM) email groups & blogs have been pretty quiet. I was thinking the other day how it’s been a long time since there has been any talk of unity. But sure enough, it seems that the talk has restarted again. For those of you who are new to the ISM, you may not know that the I ndependent Sacramental Movement (a.k.a. Old Catholicism, Autocephalous Church Movement, Independent Catholicism, Independent Orthodoxy, etc.) in North America is not a church denomination, but rather a group of small churches that are loosely linked by apostolic succession and sacramental theology. While the churches are diverse and indeed independent of each other, most of its clergy have longed for some form of unity with their catholic sisters and brothers. Many have tried to ‘legislate’ unity by forming associations and councils but have failed miserably. It is usually early in the process of forming these associations that theological and ideologica...

Recently a number of bloggers wrote about "Church & Money" -- a SynchroBlog for November (perhaps I will join next month). As I write this, I am about to head off to work for the day -- a 'secular' job with Catholic Charities. When I finish my day developing housing for homeless people living with disabilities, I will have about an hour and a half to have some supper and to commute to my second job selling electronics at a popular retailer. As I prepare to enter ministry, I wonder how I will be able to answer God's call while keeping my rent paid and dinner on the table. Developing a new church is no doubt a challenge. I know that it will require a tremendous amount of work and faith on my part. I also know that I can not do it alone. I will need to start by helping others to build their faith and then harness that faith to do the things that need to be done to build a community. I know that building a church (I'm not necessarily talking about a b...

Dear friends, Finally! I’m so humbled at the prospect of this next step on my path to the priesthood. Please pray for me on December 1st that God bless me in my new ministry. Peace. In the name of +God the Creator, +God the Son, and +God the Holy Spirit. Amen. With praise, glory and thanksgiving to Almighty God the United American Catholic Church joyfully announces the ordination of Donald Ernest Francis Pratt & Antoinette Neally to the Sacred Order of the Diaconate through the laying on of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit by His Excellency Anthony Francis Wayne Hash Archbishop of the United American Catholic Church Saturday, December 1, 2007 At 2:00 St. Joan of Arc United American Catholic Church 2520 Holland Rd, Virginia Beach, VA (Christ Episcopal Church) Reception to follow

10. Be very annoyed that some people belong to religions other than your own. Express this annoyance freely. 9. Don’t bother becoming a “regular” at local businesses. Just shop/dine/get- your-clothes-drycleaned at whatever place has the best sales that week. If, by some unfortunate coincidence, you do become a regular at a local business, don’t get to know the owner, employees, or other patrons. 8. Fixate on the quality of your missional targets: Focus on the local Unitarian Universalist minister, Mormon bishop, and Wiccan high priestess (who also owns your town’s only occult bookstore). Don’t give a second thought to that rather ordinary looking lady who you see every morning on the train. She doesn’t have a large enough sphere of influence. 7. If you see a problem in your community, don’t bother to check out what other organizations or individuals are doing about it. Just start your own project: You’ll get a lot more accomplished if you are in charge! 6. Don’t waste yo...

I often assume that most folks are not aware of the independent sacramental movement, so I was startled when I found out that a colleague of mine at Catholic Charities was very familiar with it. She is the wife of an Episcopal priest and it was very validating that in our conversation about church and clergy that we discovered that many of the 'pitfalls' that can be found in the ISM, are also found in the Episcopal church. For example, I mentioned that sometimes it is difficult to feel a sense of legitimacy when there are bishops & other clergy who 'play church' or behave badly. She commented that the ISM isn't the only institution with leaders who behave badly. On the other hand, we got to talk about some clergy who have touched our lives and who we admire. It was a nice conversation. It seems that everytime that I feel isolated in this ministry, I have an experience like this that helps to feel not-so-alone. Peace.