As long as I can remember, I have walked among the two worlds of Spirituality and Christianity. More than ever, these two worlds seem to be merging in beautiful ways. I see the way the Spirit is moving in neighbors and communities totally outside of church. I am hearing increased spiritual curiosity, synchronicities, awakenings, and wonder. I sense the longing for spiritual expansion beyond the boxes we have created, and I see the collective longing for authentic expression of love and community. I see and sense the longing for Divine Love in ever greater ways in the world apart from the church.
I also see the way that Spirit is moving inside and around churches as good church folk are re-imagining and co-creating expressions of church that are rooted in an alignment with nature, compassion, collaboration, and solidarity. I consider this to be a time of great hope for the church. As a faith-based entrepreneur and coach, I get to work with churches that grow and give away thousands of pounds of produce in a spirit of love and hospitality. I work with church folk who walk the streets around the church to sincerely know their neighbors and be in a relationship with them. I’ve worked with non-profits that serve those who experience homelessness and have grown a small gathering of folks for prayer to a lively and vibrant worshipping community. I have seen and worked with scrappy community organizing efforts to make their corner of the world a better place, food pantries that welcome leadership from the folks they serve, and beautiful, simple expressions of worship that feed the weary soul. I sense the longing for Divine Love in ever greater ways in and around churches.
In many ways, I hope this newsletter will be a humble bridge between these two worlds, for people like me that meander back and forth between both. I consider myself a spiritual expat these days. After over 20 years of being an Episcopal priest and thousands of conversations in communities and neighborhoods, I want to participate in how God moves in the world among people of all faiths, and in nature and the animal kingdom. I sense the Word, the mystic Christ moving in the world, among many types of music, many voices, many places, many forms of spiritual experiences and prayer, and among several communities I’m a part of. And yet I can’t consider myself spiritual without also saying that I follow Jesus. I am both, wandering and noticing my commonality with the spiritual non-churchy folks and also folks that love Jesus and go to church.
One of my favorite Bible passages is John 1: 1-4:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.”
Ultimately, I believe it is possible to see and know the mystic Christ who has been with us since the beginning of creation; the one from whom all things came into being. I hope that these writings will point to the mystic Christ, will be rooted in love, and will, in time, encourage others who don’t easily fit in one box or another.
I’m finishing up a book, which for now is called Following Jesus Beyond Church Walls, and I promise to keep you updated every step of the way. You can learn more about the two worlds I walk in at my two websites: chantalmckinney.com is my author/speaking website and rootthrivesoar.com is my website for coaching and working with churches and faith based organizations.
Will you join this journey with me? Will you invite others who might find meaning in this meandering path? Expats, the wounded, the lost, the lonely, the spiritually hungry, the curious, those awakening and expanding, and the misfits are especially welcome here.
Every blessing until next time,
Chantal
Im so inspired to be here. Thank you.
Great to have you here, Marty! Thank you for your support. 💕