The time has come to bid adieu to 2020. While the turning of the year itself is limited in the promises it makes, I find myself nonetheless appreciating the ritual. Claiming it as an excuse to lean into possibilities, openings, beginnings when they can feel so hard to find sometimes. "It can be a portal," a friend reminded me - "if we want it to be." (And don't we?)
enfleshed Board Director Alicia Crosby recently noted online how easy it is to "consider the losses a year like this has brought" without considering what we've "picked up or gained" as well. There was a great deal of pain this year. Was there joy there, too? There was so much distance. Was intimacy deepened, too? In commitments to resisting ableism, or capitalism, or white supremacy? In paying attention differently or more? In deepening relationships to self, land, others?
In 2021, our enfleshed invitation into meditative focus for the calendar year will be to "Savor." There will continue to be hard things before us in this coming year. Calls to action and things to grieve and needed ongoing willingness to transform and be transformed. And like always, in order to show up to ourselves and each other, we must keep tending to the small, ordinary, consistent, slow realities that make us who we are. Disrupting them when they're destructive, savoring them when they feed love and life and liberation. This is how we find our way.
As I look toward 2021, I am carrying much with me to savor about the year's fruits at enfleshed. The glimpses below in our 2020 Annual Report reflect just the surface of all this year has held. But oh, what a year it has been. So many tears. So many sighs. So many prayers and connections and creations. Thank you to each of you for your support in this turbulent year. We savor every opportunity to build something better together. May this new year be a portal, indeed.
Deep gratitude,
Rev. M Barclay, Director
Liturgy that Matters
400+ pages, 1 completed lectionary cycle, 6 new writers
Feminist, anti-racist, queerly grounded liturgy and sermon applications for hundreds of progressive clergy of many denominations - contributing to more just, inclusive, generative, and theologically rich worship for thousands worshipping in the U.S., Columbia, Canada, and beyond.
Liturgy Library
50+ added
Prayers and litanies for a wide-variety of worshipping needs added to our free and ever-growing liturgy library. These resources are used in protests, community-led gatherings, classrooms, worshipping congregations across the country, special services of celebration, loss, or community solidarity, house-churches, and more.
Custom Liturgies
enfleshed provides custom liturgies for individuals and communities looking for expansive words that ground in liberation and contemplative theologies. Each is constructed to meet the needs of specific contexts and, in most cases, is then offered for others' use through the liturgy library.
Highlights this year include: LGBTQIA affirming worship services for Affirm United/S'affirmer Ensemble and Affirming Connections PIE (public, intentional, explicit) Day, anti-racist prayers of confession, and a Lessons and Carols service of poetry and reflection.
Vita Divina Project
This year, we launched the Vita Divina Project - an online and print meditative resource based on the artwork of LGBTQIA people. Reflecting on the prompt: "Queer and Trans Flesh, A Divine Encounter," artists contributed over 30 pieces.
(artwork created by Bex Machina)
Public Theology (podcasts, articles, webinars, preaching, workshops, interviews, etc)
Among others, enfleshed was proud to be in conversation this year with the Upper Room Academy for Spiritual Formation, "Out-a-thon" with North Carolina LGBTQIA orgs, the Washington Post, Catholic Women's Ordination Conference, Progressives 4 Change, and partnering with the Faith in Harm Reduction movement.
Sacred Table
Prior to the pandemic, we held our first Sacred Table gathering. Bringing LGBTQIA people and allies together over a meal, queer ritual and liturgy, and community building, this gathering was a partnership event with the Wesley Center in Iowa City, IA. Though the pandemic shifted our plans to do four additional events in Iowa, this single gathering was a nourishing and satisfying event.
other news
- We turned three this year and to say the least, we've done some growing and changing and finding our footing. While our prior logo will forever hold a warm place in our hearts, we love the new logo we released this year - a fresh expression of our work to create and facilitate spiritual resources for collective liberation.
- 2021 enfleshed wall calendars invite you to "Savor" what nourishes, what resists destruction, what feeds the work of liberation ($4 of every calendar support the work of enfleshed)
- Follow us on social media where we offer regular bits of spiritual nourishment through poetry, writing prompts, theological musings, and more. Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
- In early January, we'll be welcoming our first intern, Nite Hunt, as we launch our pilot Trans Faith Internship Program
- New resources to come in 2021.
This year, we were so proud to welcome 10 incredible additions to the team of enfleshed as we grew our board. The warmth, experience, wisdom, and creativity of these individuals, new and ongoing, make the foundation of this work possible, sustainable, and a joyful shared labor.
Pictured below from top to bottom, left to right: Dr. Elyse Ambrose, Cassidy Hall, Dr. Wonhee Anne Joh (Advisory board), Jessica Hagar, Jonathan Cintron, Saunia Powell, Tyler Schwaller, Rev. DaSaint, rev. abby mohaupt, Rev. Grace Imathiu (Adivsory board), Allison Brinkhorst, Alicia Crosby, Rev. KC Slack, Rabbi Julia Watts Belser (Advisory Board), Rev. Lisa N. Zook, and Dr. Michael Campos.
Abbott Veldhuizen abby mohaupt Alex Salazar Alexandre Souto Alison Etter Amy Haynes Anne Hughes-Hinnen Anne Klaeysen Anne Mund Anne Wood Anthony Huron Becki Salmon Bernadette Young Beth Galbreath Bobbie McArdle Brittany Burrows Charlene Cruz-Cerdas Cheryl Hine Christine Wagner-Hecht Christopher Cheatum Regina Cheatum Christopher Wurpts Colby Martin Colleen McRoberts Corey Hidlebaugh D'ana Downing David Stancil Deborah Maria Derek Ambrose Elizabeth Jones Elizabeth Quick Ellery Duke Elsie Barnhart Elyse Ambrose Elyse Ambrose Emily Gatzke Eric Strader Eric Thomas Erica Poellot Eugene Minson Iii Evan Stancil Gail Cox Gregory McArthur Hilary Donaldson Immanuel Presbyterian Jennifer Jordan Jeremy Benton Jo Bair Springer Joy L Butler Judith Dancer Julia Warren Julie Bruno K Karpen Spsa Kaitlan Spencer Kara Oliver Kathy Cheney Kathy Egan Katrina Shawgo Kayla Bonewell Kim Novak Krista Paradiso Laura Engelken Laura Fregin Laura Jean Allen Linda Butler Lindsay Drake Lisa Telomen Lisa Zook Maddie Johnson Marc Greenberg Megan Smith Melissa Woeppel Michele Goff Nancy and David Mot Nia Chiaramonte Nick Tinsley Noreen O’Brien Paige Holaday Patricia Emmons Patty & Kevin LaGree Patty and Kevin LaGree Phoebe Sexton Primary Contact Robert Freeman Sally Watkins Samantha Morgan Sara Cardinal Scott Ostlund Sean McRoberts Serafina Chandler Shanell Smith Sonya Gravlee Steven Hogan Sue Laurie Susanne Watson Epting T.C. Morrow Tara Barber Tara Barber Tara Barnes Terry Todd ToriMorgan Tyler Schwaller Violet Johnicker Will Green
Questions? Email us at info@enfleshed.com
Credits:
Created with images by mbll - "winter landscape tree" • Coffee-king - "bread food fresh" • Andrys - "newspapers leeuwarder courant press" • Zaimful - "sunset rainbow colored sun" • Lars_Nissen - "background candles tea lights" • mbll - "winter landscape tree"