​Inclusive Language in Parish and Worship

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Inclusive Language in Parish and Worship: A chance for our St. Martin’s parish to talk with each other about how language helps us make meaning in our life is right around the corner! This fall we will join several leaders to think about worship that brings us closer to both God and each other and—on the other hand—also notice the ways speech can confuse us about Divinity and each other.

On four Wednesday evenings (October 26, November 16, November 30, and December 14) we will pay close attention to how expression open our lives and/or muddy the waters. We will see the many different options we have for worship, how different scripture, poetry, music, stories, questions, and jokes make us feel alive. We will especially pay attention to how various language about gender frees, scares, opens, relaxes, and pains us.

Hal Taussig opens this set of programs on October 26. A member at St. Martins and now retired, Hal is author of 16 books, was a Professor of New Testament at Union Theological Seminary in New York, at Chestnut Hill College, and a United Methodist pastor.

Also leading these conversations will be Episcopal theologian Flora A. Keshgegian on November 30 & December 14. Ordained in the Episcopal Church for many years, Rev. Dr. Keshgegian’s three books (God Reflected: Metaphors for Life; Time for Hope: Practices for Living in Today’s World and Redeeming Memories: A Theology of Healing and Transformation) reimagine ideas about how the divine makes us alive and transforms us. She has taught at Brown University, Seminary of the Southwest, Stonehill College, Church Divinity School of the Pacific, and the Graduate Theological Union.

We are all welcome at 6 p.m. Wednesday dinner at church. Or, we can just come at 7 p.m. for these Adult Forums about “Inclusive Language in Parish and Worship.” These leasurely conversations will not so much tell us what words to use in worship and our relationships. Rather they will give us chances to talk to each other about what makes sense to each of us, what makes us feel alive, and what helps our souls sing. Just conversation by everybody, simple leadership to let everybody talk, and a big range of all our options will let us grow in all kinds of directions in worship and life. These evenings will each open our hearts and minds variously to ways to nurture our spirit on October 26, November 16, November 30, and December 14.