pastoral & consensus ministries
After my
ordination in 1991, I formed Free Catholic Apostolate of the Redeemer
(1991-1995) (later renamed the ecumenical apostolate of the
resurrection) in order to support and facilitate ministries for myself
and others in interfaith contexts. For many years, the Apostolate has
held worship services at nursing homes and retirement facilities in the
East Bay.
In 1991 I
organized the Concord, CA chapter of Fundamentalists Anonymous
(1991-1993), a support group for people recovering from abusive
religious experiences. For the next two years the group hosted people
from backgrounds as diverse as Hare Krishnas and Pentacostals. We met
twice monthly to discuss our feelings, fears and recovery, honoring our
experiences and supporting each other's spiritual journeys, even as we
were departing from our traditions of origin.
In 1993 several
of us from the FA group, along with friends from the Creation
Spirituality staff and elsewhere formed the Berkeley Celebration Circle
(1993-1995). We used Matthew Fox's Original Blessing as a lectionary,
and slowly we began to explore what it meant to be in healthy,
interfaith spiritual community.
After two years
of working with the Celebration Circle, I discerned a need within
myself to do spiritual recovery work around the Christian tradition,
and organized the first of several "masses" that would later become the
Festival of the Holy Names (1996-1999). The Festival began holding
weekly services in the summer of 1996, and most of the members of the
Celebration Circle continued to worship at the Festival, which also
drew members from the nearby Graduate Theological Union. The Festival
sought to take what we had learned about consensus community and
holistic theology and apply it to our native tradition, Chrstianity. We
re-wrote the mass, and interwove circle-dances and more traditional
liturgical elements into a service that was both unique and deeply
meaningful.
In 1994 I began
my ministry at Grace North Church This is a unique parish that is
consensus in leadership, liturgical in worship, and interfaith in
teaching. One day I picked them out of the phone book, went to a
service here, stayed for their quarterly business meeting and was so
impressed with this worship and learning community's consensus form of
government, I stayed and have been here ever since! It is at once
excentric, loving, and profound. One of the most unusual churches I
have ever seen, let alone been honored to be a part of. In 2010 I
became the senior pastor, and still serve there.
In 2013 I began as interim pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oakland, CA.
editorial ministries
The
Pacific Church News (1997-2005), the magazine of the Episcopal Diocese
of California, where I served as managing editor, and did layout and
graphic design. This ministry allows me to stay connected to the
Episcopal church, for which I have great fondness. The PCN magazine is
news-oriented and directly focused on the ministries and parishes in
the Bay Area.
Presence: An
International Journal of Spiritual Direction (1997-2003) is the journal
produced by spiritual directors international. I was privileged to
serve as editor for over five years, and have always been grateful to
SDI for introducing me to the wonderful ministry of spiritual
direction. An excellent journal.
Ceation
Spirituality Magazine (1989-1995) was the brainchild of Mattew Fox. I
served as Editorial Assistant, Managing Editor, and finally Editor. A
beautiful, popular magazine of social and environmental justice wth
interfaith values.
teaching ministries
Grace
Institute for Religious Learning (1994-present). This is the teaching
arm of grace north church. I have taught classes on process theology,
the book of revelation, the gospel of thomas, the gospel of mary
magdelene, and the gospel of philip.
Santa Clara University (2012-present). I teach in the Pastoral Ministries program.
Chaplaincy
Institute for Arts and Interfaith Ministry (2004-present). I currently
teach world religions, interfaith theology, and spiritual direction at
this school in Berkeley, CA. This is a unique interfaith seminary that
ordains chaplaincs for interfaith ministry, and also offers certificate
programs in spirituality and ministry. I serve as director of the
interfaith spiritual direction certificate program.
Institute of
Transpersonal Psychology (2005-2013) I served as Assistant Director of
the Master's Degree in Spiritual Guidance Program, and also taught
World Religions.
John F. Kennedy University (2007-2011). As adjunct faculty, I taught Christian Mysticism and World Religions.
denominational affiliations
My
ordination was in 1991 at the hands of the Most. Rev. Timothy Barker of
the International Free Catholic Communion, a small denomination in the
Old Catholic sucession. For many years I was associated with the
Benedictine Network (White Robed Monks of St. Benedict), which provides
sacramental services for people of all faith traditions, and
specializes in ministering to those who are for one reason or another
disenfranchised from their faith communities. I am also a founding
member of the Order of Holy Wisdom (ohs), a consensus Old Catholic
order with a charism of teaching and spiritual guidance--I resigned
from this position in 2012. In 2012 I was installed as a United Church
of Christ pastor, and this is now my only ecclesial affiliation.