Tag Archives: holy ground

A letter from jail.

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Mother Beth Tjoflat

The name on the envelop was unfamiliar, but I recognized the return address from the local jail. The letter was sent to the attention of “Mother Beth” of Church Without Walls and made its way to St. John’s Cathedral. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Episcopal church, faith, Ministry, Uncategorized | Tagged Christianity, church planting, church without walls, community, healing, holy ground, homelessness, hope, Matthew 25:31-46, option for the poor, radical hospitality, street ministry, vulnerability | Leave a comment

Growth hog.

Posted on June 8, 2014 by Mother Beth Tjoflat

On a short walk in the woods, my friend Nancee expanded my vocabulary when she called me this: Growth hog. It made me laugh, even snort a little, and otherwise delighted me. I love this term. It speaks to that … Continue reading →

Posted in Episcopal church, Grace, Uncategorized | Tagged Christianity, grace, holy ground, hope, recovery, spiritual growth | 3 Comments

Grace breaks in.

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Mother Beth Tjoflat

There is no doubt in my mind that many sacred things are happening around us at any given time. They may be small, almost imperceptible events. Or they may be life-changing, seminal happenings. I am also convinced that I often … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Diocese of Florida, faith, Grace, peace, unity | Tagged church planting, Communion, community, grace, gratitude, holy ground, homelessness, hope, hospitality, inner darkness, mercy, street ministry, vulnerability | 3 Comments

“Nothing bad.”

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Mother Beth Tjoflat

This week I visited with a friend who has become very interested in our “church without walls.” Her heart for those on the edge – for those who have been lost, forgotten or rejected – is not new. She has … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Diocese of Florida, Episcopal church, Uncategorized | Tagged Christianity, church planting, church without walls, community, compassion, holy ground, Matthew 25:31-46, mercy, option for the poor, radical hospitality, reconciliation, street ministry, unity, vulnerability | Leave a comment

Icons

Posted on May 3, 2014 by Mother Beth Tjoflat

Standing behind a thick marigold line waiting our turns to drop identification into a small pass-through drawer, together forming a community as we each hope for a green light to enter the facility to visit a friend or family member. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, faith, Uncategorized | Tagged Christianity, community, compassion, grace, grief, holy ground, hope, inner darkness, Matthew 25:31-46, mercy, prison ministry, unity, vulnerability | Leave a comment

A happy life.

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Mother Beth Tjoflat

On Palm Sunday, when I went to clear off the altar, I found this box of instant mashed potatoes next to the offering plate. At first, the package seemed strangely out of place, but almost immediately it made me think … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Diocese of Florida, faith, Uncategorized | Tagged Christianity, church without walls, community, generosity, grace, gratitude, holy ground, mercy, spiritual growth, street ministry, vulnerability | Leave a comment

Unity in diversity.

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Mother Beth Tjoflat

My Lenten discipline of making confession became something much bigger. It resulted in a challenging and amazing conversation with a monk who also is a Catholic priest. While on retreat, I had scheduled time to make my confession – a … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, faith, Grace, reconciliation, unity | Tagged Christianity, community, compassion, grace, grief, healing, holy ground, hope, hospitality, reconciliation, street ministry, unity, vulnerability | 4 Comments

New life.

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Mother Beth Tjoflat

The past few days I have been thinking about what it means to be brave. Lately it shows up most often for me in a willingness to be vulnerable with others. This week I had an opportunity to speak about … Continue reading →

Posted in faith, Uncategorized | Tagged Christianity, community, compassion, grace, holy ground, hope, inner darkness, mercy, reconciliation, renewal, spiritual growth, vulnerability | 4 Comments

Two nickels.

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Mother Beth Tjoflat

This past Sunday a man, whom I don’t recall meeting before, approached me during the peace. “Mother Beth,” he said with a sense of purpose that made me wonder what he wanted. He held up his hand. “When is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, congregational development, Diocese of Florida, Episcopal church, faith, Grace, Uncategorized, unity | Tagged church without walls, community, compassion, generosity, grace, healing, holy ground, hope, street ministry, vulnerability | 5 Comments

Fully alive.

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Mother Beth Tjoflat

This sermon was offered this morning at San Jose Episcopal Church where I was blessed to preach and celebrate. (Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 119:1-8; 1 Cor 3:1-9; Matt 5:21-37) “Fully alive.” A few weeks ago I had an opportunity to meet … Continue reading →

Posted in 12-step spirituality, Christianity, congregational development, Diocese of Florida, Grace, Recovery, Uncategorized, unity | Tagged 12 Steps, 12-step spirituality, Christianity, church without walls, community, compassion, grace, holy ground, homelessness, hope, inner darkness, radical hospitality, street ministry, vulnerability | Leave a comment