Rev. Elizabeth Hagan, Interview #197

Name:  Rev. Elizabeth Hagan

Where you live: Washington DC and Oklahoma City, OK (the juxtaposition of two very different worlds!)

What you do as a vocation or avocation?
a blogger, pastor without a traditional church, social media consultant and global traveler in support of work of Feed The Children.

Your two favorite books: An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Your two favorite songs: "Say" by John Mayer and "Simple Gifts" Shaker Hymn

Why you are interested in spirituality?
I believe that all of life goes back to God. We come from God. We move and have our being in God. Our hearts become restless, as St. Augustine writes until they find rest in God. My life has been shaped, enriched and given greater connectivity as I have paid attention to my own spiritual rhythms. I have felt a calling since a teenager to be a leader a spiritual community-- helping others long on their journey to find God as I have been aided by others.

Your favorite quote: "Those who say it cannot be done shouldn't interrupt the people doing it."  -Chinese Proverb

Your favorite web sites:
I am a fan of Feed The Children-- an international non-profit that is ensuring that less children go to bed hungry every day. www.feedthechildren.org I also blog regularly about issues of faith, spirituality and popular culture at http://elizabethhagan.com. And I'm a super fan of twitter. I love the opportunities twitter has given me to create spiritual community, share ideas and "meet" people from all over the world. You can find me at @elizabethagan

Your hero?
I'm not real fond of this word because how it pestles people in unhealthy ways. But since you asked, I would point to folks like memoirist Anne Lamott who writes with an honest flavor that I aspire to write, or those in civil rights like Martin Luther King, Jr. who never accepted the labels others placed on him that challenges me daily, or those women in journalism like Ann Curry and Diane Sawyer who blaze new trails with courage in the modern era, or women in church leadership positions like Aimee Semple McPherson who started her own church in the early 1900's when women just didn't do such, and Beth Dotson, a teacher and now friend who believed in me from an early age when no one else did and continues to encourage me in my faith journey today.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn?
How to come fully alive and comfortable in my own skin with ease as I age. To follow the teaching of Jesus in more aspects of my life. And to know that no matter what happens or doesn't happen in my life, I'll always be a beloved child of God.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"
In meaningful conversations. I love the joy of connecting with people beyond the fluff that often surrounds the busyness of daily life. To love and to be loved deeply is one of the greatest needs and joys of my life. This can happen anywhere if we are willing to be vulnerable when safe spaces emerge in our lives.

Dave Harrity, Interview #196

Name: Dave Harrity 

What do you do as a vocation or avocation? 

i suppose this depends on what one means by vocation and avocation. the word vocation takes its meaning from latin, voce, which means "voice"—this is what i believe vocation to be: my voice. and because of that, writing is always vocation, even if you're simply a hobbyist. this ideas is freeing for me, because it means that what i write isn't the end all of who i am but part of my personal becoming, part of the process of my life and discovery.

every day, i'm at home with my children and write. i also enjoy gardening, hiking, and home repair projects as other forms of my voice.

Your two favorite books:

if i had to choose two they would be "into the wild," by john krakauer and "the road" by cormac mccarthy. they're books i could read again and again and always find something new in them. they have deep spiritual resonance and are passionately written—you can discern the authors' personal connections to the stories they're telling. and this makes me feel there is something at stake in the writing, that they're risking something!

Your two favorite songs:

if i'm forced to choose then i suppose i'll pick 'the weight' by the band (especially when it's accompanied by the staples singers) because of it's melody and simplicity. and 'born to run' by springsteen because of it's sheer poetic brilliance—not a word is wasted, and the rest of that record is exactly the same as well! and even though you didn't ask, i'm going to add a third: 'just like tom thumb's blues' by bob dylan—a strange and unfolding monologue!

Why you are interested in spirituality?

i think what draws me into faith/spirituality is the propensity to live by and in mystery—what john keats called 'negative capability.' so much of contemporary life is centered around gnosis and definitive understanding. spirituality encourages open-ended exploration and deep abiding, but only when it roots us in this reality—pushes us deeper into community, compassion, and conscience. otherwise it risks becoming flat fundamentalism or flaccid humanism. these things are quite dangerous to faith and the world, i think—and deeply lack imagination.

Your favorite quote:

"we are here to awaken from the illusion of our separateness" —thich nhat hanh

Your favorite web sites:

the poetry foundation offers an endless archive that everyone should take a look at every day!

Your hero?

anne sexton is a hero of mine, though that might seem strange. her work has been a totem for me in many ways. she was brutally honest and deeply haunted by the elusive presence of god, especially the incarnation—an idea she was constantly exploring, perfectly and imperfectly. another hero that was a little more personal was a singer named ed cash. as a teenager, this man (who was a complete stranger) took time to sit with me and listen—really listen. i think he might have been the first person to make me feel legitimately 'there'—heheard me. and that small moment of witness shaped me profoundly.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn?

how to love my neighbors and my enemies—how to see them as beloved sons and daughters of god. i'll be lucky if i even get close to something like it.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"

my kitchen table. it's the place where days begin in my family, where i write by myself or with my children, where we host family, friends, and strangers. it's a real touchstone for every day. the kitchen table keeps us sane.

dave harrity is an author and teacher living in louisville, ky with his wife and two children. as the founder and director of ANTLER, he travels conducting workshops on creativity, community, faith, and imagination. his most recent book is "making manifest: on faith, creativity, and the kingdom at hand"—28 devotional meditations and writing exercises for individual spiritual growth and communal formation. 
of "making manifest" and harrity's teaching, fr. richard rohr has said, "In this fine book The Word becomes both flesh and some very good words too!  Let a master lead you in putting many parts of your soul together. This is incarnation at work in space and time!"

feel free to connect with him on twitter or instagram (@daveharrity) or directly via email (dave@thisisantler.com)

Tia Salingre-Williams, Interview #195

Your Name: Tia Salingre-Williams 

          Where you live: 
          Cliffside Park, 
           New Jersey, USA

What you do as a vocation or avocation? 

I'm an author of spiritual books. My latest novel is The Lapponia Scriptures, a mystical story of love and adventure. I try to help as much as I can homeless and abused animals. A few years ago, I also wrote a small book to help.

 Your two favorite books: Per Andres Fogelstrom (Swedish author). He wrote a series of four books.

Your two favorite songs: Bette Midler: Wind Beneath My Wings. Josh Groban: You Raise Me Up. (Many more but you only asked for two.)

Why you are interested in spirituality? Ever since I was a child, it's been with me. Over all these years, it's been growing. Many things has happened to make it stronger and real.

          Your favorite quote: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever." I got this message from the other side and don't know whose it is.

Your favorite web sites: www.lapponiascriptures.com

Your hero? (Many!) Mother Teresa and my own mother who at an early age became paralyzed. Always kind, sweet and never ever complained. Loved me unconditionally always.

          A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? 
         To have more quiet time to be still and meditate and pray.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" 

Even though I lived here in New Jersey for almost 40 years, my heart is still in Helsinki, Finland, where I was born. But in my dreams when I sleep, I go back there so often and for that I am so grateful.

The Lapponia Scriptures: A mystical story of love and adventure is in development as a Hollywood movie at Atophill Films.

B'lkaar Singh, Interview #194

Name: B'lkaar Singh

Where you live: Oxford, England

What you do as a vocation or avocation? Poet, Author, Co-Founder of L.O.V.E. (Local Organic Voluntary Economies) 

Your two favorite books: 

'The Prophet' by Khalil Gibrain &

 'Conversations with God' by Neale Donald Walsch

Your two favorite songs:

'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol & 'The Power of Love' by Gabrielle Aplin

Why you are interested in spirituality? 
Spirituality interests me because essentially I am of spirit, as is the entire existence. I am interested in what exists inside me and outside of me. I see nothing outside of spirituality because I see spirit in everything. I am interested in what IS.

Your favorite quote: 

"Truth is the highest. Higher still is truthful action." Guru Nanak 

Your favorite web sites: no favourite website

Your hero? Guru Gobind Singh

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? I would like to learn that there was never anything to learn.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"  The Golden Temple, Amritsar, India.

Mary Lindberg, Interview #193

Name: Mary Lindberg

Where you live: Seattle, WA

What you do as a vocation or avocation? Community Engagement Coordinator for a non-profit that creates affordable housing, Freelance writer

Your two favorite books: 

Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr; 

Good Poems edited by Garrison Keillor

Your two favorite songs:

Pia Jesu, 

Let’s Fall in Love

Why you are interested in spirituality? 

My mom was incredibly intuitive and spiritual—I think she passed that on to me. I care about meaning, especially as a writer and faith leader.

Your favorite quote:  “We can do no great things; only small things with great love.” --Mother Teresa

Your favorite web sites: 

Writer’s Almanac (http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/);

Lectionary Lab—aka Two Bubbas and a Bible (http://lectionarylab.blogspot.com/)

Your hero? Moms who make sacrifices for their children.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? Each day requires writing and listening to God.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" 

Holden Village, a retreat center in the Cascade Mountains of Washington

Mary is also the author of The Graceful Exit: A Pastor's Journey from Good-bye to Hello, a book published by the Alban Institute, and you can see more here: 

John Fea, Interview #192

Name:  John Fea

Where you live: Mechanicsburg, PA

What you do as a vocation or avocation? Historian, history professor

Your two favorite books: 

How about three?  The Bible, Wendell Berry, Jayber Crow; Christopher Lasch, The True and Only Heaven.

Your two favorite songs: 

Bruce Springsteen, "Born to Run."  Kansas, "No One Together"

Why you are interested in spirituality?

I am evangelical Christian

Your favorite quote: 

"You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself." --Luke 10:27

Your favorite web sites: 
www.philipvickersfithian.com; backstreets.com; usreligions.blogspot.com

Your hero?  Never really had one.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? Humility, empathy, and charity

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"  The beach at the Atlantic Ocean

Editor's Note: You can see the books John has written  here

Kris "Mrs. B." Bradley, Interview #191

 Name: Kris "Mrs.B." Bradley

 

Where you live: Central New Jersey

 

What you do as a vocation or avocation?

I'm primarily a wife and mom, filled in with stretches of writing.

 

Your two favorite books:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchet

 

Your two favorite songs:

Lullaby by The Cure

Groove is in the Heart by DeeLite

 

Why you are interested in spirituality?

I can't remember ever not feeling that there must be something/someone out there watching out for us.  It took me a long while to put a name to it, but I've always felt that energy around me when I needed it.  Being raised in a home that didn't regularly practice any faith in particular, I was given the opportunity to really explore what spirituality and religion meant to me and find the perfect path for myself.

 

Your favorite quote:

"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." - Henry David Thoreau

 

Your favorite web sites:

I really enjoy Bishop In The Grove by Teo Bishop.  He's always contemplating, always growing and learning - and teaches some important lessons along the way.  It's everything a good Pagan blog should be.  I also really enjoy Facebook, where I participate in a great community of really positive people who come together every morning to share their blessings.

 

Your hero?

Jane Goodall. This is a woman who found her passion and has spent every minute since then devoted to making the world a better place.  

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn?

I think all lessons are continually ongoing and as changeable as the tides.  One I'm always working on is patience - with others, and with myself.

 

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"

Near water.  I find the beach to be the perfect balance of the elements, plus it's also a threshold between world (the world of the land and the world of the sea), which makes it a great place to commune with deity for me.

Editor's Note: Kris blogs in a number of locations. You can catch her writing at
"Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom" or at her site: http://www.krisbradley.com/ along with a link to her new book