The Trouble With Christmas
Christmas is a mixed bag of emotions.
How can we say something that encompasses the vast array of feelings we’re all having about the holidays? The truth is, we can’t.
Joyous? Yes. For some. Troubling? Yes. For others. Simple? No. For no one. Perhaps the one thing we all find in common during the Advent season is its complexity.
Ryan Phipps is the Senior Minister at Church In Bethesda.
Raised in the church, becoming a pastor was the one thing Ryan vowed he would never do. After spending many years away from faith, he found that for all of its flaws, the church can still occupy a unique place of good in the world if it is willing to evolve with reason and empathy.
Ryan has a special place in his heart for those who have been damaged or disillusioned by the church, and longs to lead those within it toward a more just and generous expression of itself.