Advent Four: Rejects
In one way or another, we all know what it feels like when we don’t fit in.
As a species, we are a people of tribes. We’re all looking for our place and our people. And that couldn’t be truer when it comes to faith and spirituality.
When Jesus enters the world in The Christmas Story, we see that he encounters much of the same. He didn't really "fit" anywhere.
What does that have to teach us about finding our own place in the world today?
Ryan Phipps is the Senior Minister at Church In Bethesda.
Raised in the church, becoming a pastor was the one thing Ryan vowed he would never do. After spending many years away from faith, he found that for all of its flaws, the church can still occupy a unique place of good in the world if it is willing to evolve with reason and empathy.
Ryan has a special place in his heart for those who have been damaged or disillusioned by the church, and longs to lead those within it toward a more just and generous expression of itself.