Rose’s Talk: “Building bridges without jumping chasms. Working in liberating the world between rural churches and dominating progressive large churches.”
I grew up fundamentalist in South LA before meeting my first female pastor in the UMC. Shortly afterwards, I joined, enthralled with the structure, positions, and intentionality of the church. I love structures, and living in systems with boundaries, if only to know how far I can push these boundaries before they break. I live in a liminal world, a world of both/and where I relate to the traditional, but who seeks liberation. I have piercings and smoke and drink and am a lesbian. I am also deeply called to rural pastoral ministry–to build relationships and bridges with these small communities of people. I live for the lectionary and the wonders it holds, knowing the vast restrictions it still has in its structure for feminist/womanist/queer/liberation theological implication. I am 26 as of June 11, and white. In my deviant liminal space, I find myself with a foot firmly planted in both worlds of the conservative traditionalist and the radical queer. I hate skittles. I love stories. I live for the unexpected happenings of God in places I least anticipate–huddled smokers around the corner, at the bar, and even with my Dungeons and Dragons cohort.
