by Jen James | Apr 27, 2017 | NEXT Church Blog, Sarasota Statement
by Katherine Lee Baker Beloved in Christ Jesus, I feel like an imposter among you! In fact, even as my heart abounds with joy and gratitude for the opportunity and honor it has been to be part of the Sarasota Statement as a NEXT Church initiative, I must admit that I...
by Jen James | Apr 25, 2017 | NEXT Church Blog, Sarasota Statement
by Bertram Johnson One of the things that I appreciate most about being Presbyterian is the interconnected nature of the denomination. While we express them in a variety of ways, our theology, liturgy, worship, and confessions affirm that our faith in God and Jesus...
by Jen James | Apr 20, 2017 | NEXT Church Blog, Sarasota Statement
by Chris Currie “The kingdom of God is justice and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Come now, and open in us, the joys of your kingdom.” –Taizé Chant Perhaps it is a sign of the times, but there is a wealth of colorful descriptions that attempt to...
by Jen James | Apr 18, 2017 | NEXT Church Blog, Sarasota Statement
by Cynthia Rigby My favorite part of the Sarasota Statement is the preface. This is, no doubt, because I am wired like the theologian I am. And theologians like to think about why it is we are saying what we are saying even before we say anything. Thus, the caricature...
by Jen James | Apr 13, 2017 | NEXT Church Blog, Sarasota Statement
by Glen Bell During January, six servant leaders gathered in Sarasota, Florida, to begin to write a statement of faith. Katie Baker, Chris Currie, Brandon Frick, Bertram Johnson, Cindy Rigby, and Layton Williams came together to explore and proclaim what our Christian...
by Jen James | Apr 10, 2017 | NEXT Church Blog, Sarasota Statement
by Layton Williams I sometimes struggle to figure out where I belong in the church. I am an openly bisexual woman and a strong advocate justice for those the church has historically neglected. At times, I dream of being one of those unapologetically radical liberal...
