Maria Evans's Page

Your Anglican Church Body Affiliation (CofE, TEC, AMiA...) - Leave blank if not applicable

TEC

Your Diocese

Missouri

Your City

Kirksville

Your Parish

Trinity Episcopal Church

Your parish website

http://trinitykirksville.org

Your blog (if you have one)

http://kirkepiscatoid.blogspot.com

Your Anglican 'Species'

Lay person

Your 'Day Job'

Surgical Pathologist

What you do for fun and re-creation?

More like "what don't I do for fun or recreation..." I read, surf the net, blog, golf, geocache, walk 2.5 miles/day most days, and care for my menagerie of 2 donkeys, 1 mule, 1 horse, and 2 dogs! I have a few people in my life who are "exotic pets", also!

What do you see as some of the biggest challenges facing Anglicans today?

The biggest challenge to me is to promote the "three legged stool" of tradition, scripture, and reason and the concept of liturgical worship to a world that seems to be embracing a more authoritarian version of Christianity. I became an Anglican because it is a "thinking person's religion" and because I had been reared in a liturgical deomination. "Table centered worship" is important to me and the inclusiveness of the Eucharistic table trumps all personal issues to me. God calls us to welcome our brothers and sisters to Christ's table, not decide on his behalf whether they belong there!

What do you see as some of the biggest opportunities for Anglicans today?

In America, I think we are starting to see the "backlash" of fundamentalist Christianity. People tire of an autocratic theology and know they can never be "good enough" to meet that standard, if it is "God's standard". I think there is a real opportunity to promote a spirituality that is based on God's love for us "as is," and changes we make in our life being a result of that love, not fear of God's punishment.

What do you want Anglimergent to be? and what other Anglimergent resources, gatherings, activities or events would you find helpful for your ministry?

I would like to meet other like-minded Anglicans for fun, friendship, and spiritual connectivity. I don't have many friends that I can really open up and share the spiritual side of me. I think it takes a little bravery to open up in that way (I'm not always so brave myself) and I discover that experience is spiritually rewarding to me.

I think "meet-ups" (virtual and real) would be helpful, and ahared online spiritual activities, discussion groups, etc. would be great fun. My lay ministry is one of "doing" (I'm our Jr. Warden on our vestry and a real "fixit gal") and getting together and doing volunteer activities would also be fun. I hope to also meet more blogfriends through this network.