Methodist Blogger Profile: Theresa Coleman

Theresa Coleman of Reverend Mommy's Random Thoughts

Theresa took a different approach to the blogger profile questions. She assembled her answers in a narrative:

I am a native Atlantan, born of native Atlantans -- to the 6th generation. All branches of my family (that I have traced and can trace (that is not including the horse thieves)) have been in the Atlanta area since the 1790's to 1820's. All of them. It's sort of strange, really. And before that all of them were from the North Carolina/Virginia area, back to before the Revolutionary War. So I'm as much of a native as anyone can be in the US.

I grew up in a small town outside of Atlanta and still live within 20 miles of where I grew up. I went to college for 6 years (or 7, who's counting?) because I started going to college at 15. I love college. Sigh. However, after 6 years (or 7, who's counting?), my mother insisted that I graduate. So I did -- with a BS in Mathematics and Philosophy. Then I signed up for graduate school. But my mother -- she insisted that I get a job -- and I did after much complaining. I
started teaching at Fernbank Science Center in Decatur Georgia -- teaching computers because they learn faster than students. Really. I taught computer lab and was the official mathematician on staff for 13 years. In 1986, I married my Loving Husband. Sigh. I love my Loving Husband.

I got involved in aviation in 1987 or so and earned my pilot's license a good 5 years before my husband. I love aviation more than I love college, but not as much as I love the Loving Husband (for those uninitiated, that is the transitive property at work (my math degree does come in handy)). So I got an Advanced Ground Instructor rating and started to teach Aviation and Aerospace.

In the meantime, I also felt a calling to the ministry. However, because I was involved in a very conservative denomination, I did not pursue the call before I was married -- I was told that my father would disown me if I went to seminary and because I am a good and dutiful daughter, I did not go that course. I immersed myself in teaching and spouse and after a while to my two children -- born in 1994 and 1996. My husband and I moved from Stone Mountain to the Loganville/Grayson area and became very involved in the Methodist Church (read:Disciple). I felt the call to ministry again -- especially after I had a couple of bad years and started to stay at home with the girls full time. I realized that women do have a place in ministry and so I started
attending Candler in the Fall of 2002. It's a hard thing to feel like a second class citizen -- especially in the church -- and then realize that I have been oppressed. And repressed. The way women are treated in this denomination can still fire up my ire. I was an angry person
going to Candler in 2002. My husband was out of work at the time, so I took the job of maintaining Candler's website at that time and did so for more than two years (a job I no longer have -- life gets really busy.)

I started working at Grayson UMC as a ministry intern in Fall 2002. I now am the Director of Christian Education and have an appointment as a Local Pastor there. The years of teaching in the public school system and creating curriculum at Fernbank have really served me well -- I can see the hand of God there. I love teaching and preaching -- and writing creative worship experiences. I do wish that I were finished with seminary (sigh, at least 3 more semesters because I am part-time -- could be as much as three years at the rate I'm going.) I wish I had more opportunity to preach, but I know that the opportunities will come. The experience I am getting at Grayson is truly invaluable -- I get to teach all sorts of interesting things and interesting people. I am working on a curriculum this summer that uses something like the Disciple paradigm -- with a focus on Mission. If I were to change anything in this church of ours it would be to obliterate the good-ole-boy system that infects our itineracy. And to reform
itineracy itself. It's time has passed. I've been thinking about blogging about that.

Blogging is a good way to try out new ideas, to connect with like-minded people, to learn about trends, to gather information, to connect. Really, to connect. Church is about relationship and so is blogging. This last week has shown me that. I blogged about my mother's death last week and have been overwhelmed with the amount of support I have received from the blogging community. I used to look at stats all the time -- and realized that they don't add meaning to
this blogging experience. Blogging is more than posting diary entries on the internet -- which it can be without the opportunity to receive feedback. Publishing articles in magazines is a way to get "exposure" -- which I used to do (in Math and Aviation rags) -- but blogging is more than exposure. It is to magazine publishing as live theatre is to movies. In live theatre, you receive feedback from the audience (preaching, as well). The interaction in the cyber community is very valuable to me.

If you were to start blogging, I would say to examine your motives. Are you doing this to gather exposure? As a grandstand for your ideas? To create community? To puff yourself up? To expose yourself? Why are you doing this? Short postings go over better than longer -- and vary
the tone. Light and fluffy is good and fine, but thoughtful pieces will add ballast. However too much heavy stuff makes it -- ahem -- heavy. Too much theological grandstanding is not conducive to conversation. Lastly, make it personal. Hmmm... much like a sermon, yes?

If I were to only check three blogs -- eh, too hard. I check probably 150 blogs daily. If I were only to check a few -- it would be people that I consider friends (and they know who they are (um, like you, ya'know, Michael, Michael, 42, Crystal, Fish, Gavin, Jay, and others)), my group of clergy women blogs ( A "difference that makes a difference", bethquick.com, Cheesehead in Paradise, ChurchGal, Dylan's Grace Notes, Friday Mom, going jesus, Good in Parts, GrandmaJeansOpinions, Hazelnut Reflections, Hoosier Musings on the Road to Emmaus, Kinesis, Latina Liz ,Life and Times of a Preacher Mom, Martha, Martha, Musings of a Discerning Woman, Peripatetic Polar Bear,Rebel Without A Pew, ReformedWomen,reverendmother,
scandalofparticularity, Seeker of Truth, Set Free , Shield the Joyous, St. Casserole, terminaldegree, Treading Water, Velveteen Rabbi, What Now? (did I leave anyone out??(I was sure there were more...))) and Real Live Preacher. But only three. Sigh. I just wouldn't.

Clergy woman are a special breed. They need support. Women clergy are usually older than their male counterparts when they enter ministry and become discouraged and drop out faster. My heroes are those women who blazed the trail -- especially those like Martha Forrest, Bishop
Charlene, BBT, Teresa Fry-Brown -- and many more. Also people like Tom Long, Don Saliers, Zan Holmes and Fred Craddock -- who are big shots, but don't know it. Each of these men have never built themselves up by cutting me down. Ever. I love reading Tom Long's books and Fred
Craddock's. I am reading right now a book by Zan Holmes titled "Encountering Jesus."

My favorite hymn, you ask. Right now it's "Be Thou my Vision." Done by 4HIM. I used it as the background music on a communion movie and since then associate it with communion.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

All about life, you ask. Don't be too serious. Anne Lamott calls laughter and humor "carbonated holiness." And don't stress it. Develop a life strategy or a list of rules. See my blog entry about it. Life is too short and valuable to chase your tail all the time, like a kitten. Find your passion and
do it. If I were not in ministry right now I'd probably be taking pictures from airplanes. In the mountains of North Georgia or in Florida. Near Paradise or just to the right of Paradise. What I wish I could do is play the guitar (well) and lose weight. And get a good tan. (Oh, so shallow and vain. ) And write for a living. And I could never invite *just three* people to dinner. I really dislike limits. I'd invite everyone on my Blogroll. And a few others. Including all the preachers on Baylor's 12 most effective preacher list. And a lot of the people from church. And most anyone else. It's all about connection, relationship and communion. And loving one another.



I wasn't too serious today. I'm having a hard time with "serious"
right now......
Now Cirrus I can do.
Or perhaps cirrus.
But not serious.

(Hmm... now I'll get the "women shouldn't be in ministry because they can't take it seriously.") Ah, well.