Any honest reflection on 2019 reveals its significant collective losses and weighty challenges, but its chaotic offerings were also rich in the stuff that grounds, that steadies, that grows. At years end, I found myself eager to leave it behind, but not without a bit of gratitude for the gifts birthed in the midst of its tumultuous days.
enfleshed's second year of being and becoming was such a fruitful one. Our fledgling ministry getting its legs. Our community growing. Our work gaining clarity. Our year ahead, so full of potential. Art. Collaboration. Provocation. Nourishment. More of all it this year. In new ways. In steadying ways.
This year, I was offered some feedback from someone who said they felt like they had just feasted on a Thanksgiving meal after an encounter with enfleshed. This is what I desire - that in a world where so many of us are deprived of a sense of spiritual satisfaction by narrow theologies or destructive institutions, enfleshed can help set a table of spiritual abundance. Of plenty. Of nourishment for the places within most neglected.
There's no promise that the days ahead will be less turbulent for any of us in 2020. The hopes we may carry into the new year come with their own responsibilities. We've got a lot organizing to do, conversations to have, mending to pursue. There will be long nights of debate. Days short with exhaustion. There will be catastrophes predicted and rulings unforeseen. But in all of this, the call to tend well to our souls persists. We do this by remembering beauty, speaking and hearing truths that free, practicing desire and delight, committing to dreams of abundance in a world that would have us accept crumbs of joy, crumbs of justice, crumbs of god. To create and facilitate spiritual resources for collective liberation - this is the hope of enfleshed. I am deeply grateful for all the forms of support from community that make this ministry possible.
Deep gratitude,
Liturgy that Matters
400+ pages
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 across the U.S. (And in one incredible congregation in Columbia)
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 have been used in protests, community-led gatherings, personal spiritual discipline, worshipping congregations across the country, special services of celebration, loss, or community solidarity, house-churches, and more.
Custom Liturgies
15+
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: a litany of becoming for a collective home ritual at the start of transitioning, an anti-bullying community-wide service following a collective loss, a series of queer worship services, and an inclusively re-framed remembrance of baptism.
Preaching and Workshops
20+
Some topic highlights from the extensive offerings of this year: Trans care at the end of life for the National Hospice Annual Conference, an extended series on the Sacred and the Strange, Liberation in the UMC, Faith and the Harm Reduction Movement, and introductions to social justice and the gospel.
Locations included but not limited to: Chicago, IL; Evanston, IL; Ithica, NY; Iowa City, IA; Orlando, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Mt. Morris, WI; Cedar Rapids, IA.
Public Theology (podcasts, articles, interviews, etc)
20+
enfleshed was in conversation this year with Counterbalance Progressive Christian voices - KZUM 89.3 FM radio; Autostraddle; The Advocate; Feminist Conversations in Religion with Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual; NY Magazine; Huffington Post; Filter Magazine; USA Today; Des Moines Register, and others...
Kai Abrahamson Marsha Acord Margaret Adams Chip Aldridge Nicole Anderson Katherine Atkins Scott Baker Ally Barlow Bonnie Beckonchrist Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon Matthew Berryman Rachel Birkhahn-Rommelfanger Daryl Blanksman Amy Bowers Melissa Boyer Allison Brinkhorst Colleen Brinkmann caz bromley Leigh Brown Julie Bruno and Sue Laurie Mac Buff Brittany Burrows Joy Butler Laurel Capesius Sara Cardinal Duane Carlisle Rita Carter Serafina Chandler Christopher and Regina Cheatum Kathy Cheney-Egan John and Susan Chesney Ricky Cintron Holly Clark-Porter Michael Cobb Sanctuary Community Church Sample Contact Gail and Michael Cox Bill Crews Carol Curry Eloise Cranke Ben David Hensley Irene DeMaris Lindsay Drake Lindsay Drake Ellery Duke Ilene Dunn M.E. Eccles Liz Edman Seamus Enright Shandee Ewert Anthony Fatta Chad Foster David Foster Laura Fregin Melissa Fretwell Virg Fryer Kelly Fulton Beth Galbreath KT Gillett David Glenn-Burns Jodi Golden-Lund Will Green Steven Groom Kitty Hahn-Campanella Wendy Hardin Hermann jeff Haugh Joey Heath-Mason June Hiza Paige Holaday Wilson Hood Ophelia Hu Kinney Blake Huffman ann w hunt Wongee Joh Violet Johnicker Elizabeth Jones K Karpen Carlton Kelley Henry Kellison Brian Kleber Taylor Koehn Heather Kramer Jo Kretzler Linda Kroon Jan Lawrence Michelle LeCompte Sherrie Lowly Pat Luna Albert Lunde Alka Lyall Hilary Marchbanks Deborah Maria Bradly Mathias Gregory McArthur Beckie McCall Bobbie McArdle Elsaadele Mcdowell Molly McGinnis Sean and Colleen McRoberts Michelle Miller Ed Miner Abigail Mohaupt Kimberly Montenegro Deborah Morgan Nancy Mossman Nancy and David Mot Anne Mund Devon Murphy-Petersen Ron and Dianna Nelson Suzanne Nice Kimberly Noel Dave Nuckols Zach Oaster Candie ODell-Scherer Kara Oliver Satia Orange Scott Ostlund Krista Paradiso Courtney Pladsen Becca Gurney Powe and Hal Powe Chett Pritchett Catherine Quehl-Engel Elizabeth Quick Robert Ragland Joe Rajchel Mary Rawlinson Charlene Reichert Katie Reimer Jackie Riccio Cynthia Robinson Seth Robinson Samantha Rockhill Brett Roes Becki Salmon Marilyn Sand Nancy J Scarbrough Lisa Schubert Nowling Elizabeth Seja Min Jil Severson Katrina Shawgo Jacob Simpson Victoria Slabinski Larry and Sue Sonner Kim Sorrells Kaitlan Spencer Chris Stone Cathy Stone Sadie Stone Kristin Stoneking Lisa Telomen Sue Terry Terry Todd Julie Todd Marla Torrado Shannon Trenton Carolina Trevino Kelly Turney Hannah Villnave Anna Voinovich Judy Wadding Shelley Walters Shelley Walters Julia Warren Sally Watkins Susanne Watson Epting Billie Watts Lynn Webster Teresa Welborn melea white Lou Whitmer Layton Williams Brenda Wills Coreen Witke Vicki Woods DV Yost Laura Young RMN of Indiana First UMC - Seattle Grandview UMC
Questions? Email us at info@enfleshed.com