Monday Meet 'n Greet: Lots of New Faces!

It's been a while since we hosted a Meet 'n Greet on a Monday, as we have been promoting BE 4.0: Reframing Hope, with Carol Howard Merritt. The deadline for registration is this Saturday, Sept. 25th. Email me for a brochure and registration form.

A quick note to all members, new and old, in case you missed the announcement, we are no longer updating the ring via Ringsurf.  Instead of Ringsurf code, please install our button (the picture on the right of a circle of feet, taken at BE 2.0) with a link back to this page. Our blogroll is the official membership list. If you think your blog should be on it and is missing, please email RevGalBlogPals.

And now our new members!

First please meet Linda Anderson-Little, who blogs at The Holy Grind. Linda found us via BE 3.0, a great reminder that you don't have to be in the ring to attend.

She is a "Lutheran pastor in St. Louis, MO...a pastor's wife, the mother of three teenagers, and a breast cancer survivor." She also got her picture taken with George Clooney!

Welcome, Linda!


Next we have Cathy, who is a current ring member (you may know her blog Widening Circles) with a new blog to reflect her new condition in life, You're Only Young Twice. Cathy is:

• a fourth-career seminarian with two grown kids, a husband I've been with for thirty-some years, and a house in the suburbs. Not long ago, I had a good job in higher education administration. Now I'm back in school on the receiving end as a full-time MDiv student living four days a week in a dorm in another city. Who says do-overs don't count?

Not us! Cathy has already written about the first days at seminary, so catch up on a few posts when you visit her.

Now please meet Woman in Cute Shoes, blogging at The Best is Yet to Be: Walking Through Adversity in Way Cute Shoes. She comes to us via ring member Singing Owl and writes:

• First and foremost I am a woman called to follow Jesus Christ. After that I am a wife, a mother of four awesome adult kids here and one in eternity, and a grandmother of seven fantastic grandkids. I am also a credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God. But more than that I am a woman who has walked through adversity. I grew up in the home of an abusive alcoholic father, raised a disabled daughter who was crippled at birth by a drunken doctor, buried a child, and been broken, bankrupt, and bedraggled by life. The purpose of this blog is to share my journey to encourage you to be embellished by those trying times that surround you, and see yourself as a Masterpiece in the frame of life's adversities.

I think you'll find many other bloggers in the ring who celebrate the power of shoes. :-)

Now meet West Texas Weaver Woman, Mary Jane Butler, who you may already know as the mother of one of our bloggers. 

She writes:

• I guess I'm approaching old age. At 78 it's safe to say that. I plan on lots more years, God willing. Grew up at the beach, deeply in tune with mountains also. The place I live now has it's own beauty but you do have to get used to it. I appreciate the spareness of it all as well as the big sky. Being a Christian, I am happy to have found a church which embraces us. Life is good.

Next please welcome Debbie Allen, who blogs at Pastor Debbie's CyberDesk.

• Pastor Debbie grew up in the United Methodist Church and has been in the ministry since 2001. She has served churches in Fort Myers (Tice, 2001-2004) and in Hudson (Faith, 2004-2009) and currently serves at Belleview UMC just south of Ocala. She is married to Daryl (lifelong United Methodist and pastor of Druid Hills UMC in Ocala) and they have two sons Parker (born 2004) and Wesley (born 2007). Pastor Debbie is a trained ReFocus facilitator and works with the North Central District Committee on Congregational Excellence. She is also a candidacy mentor and works on the design team for the Florida Conference's Residents in Ministry Program.

Now say hello to Reverend Potato Head, who blots at Under the Steeple and describes herself as:

• A Quilter. A Photographer. A Knitter. A sometimes triathlete. A wife. An Introvert. A southerner. A ponderer. A wanderer. A messer-upper.

I think we all resemble that last descriptor. We're glad you've joined us.

We're also glad to welcome Lydia, who blogs at Anam Cara. I've been aware of her blogging about ministry after Hurricane Katrina for a long time and am glad she's joining us. Lydia says she is:

• . . . child of God . . . daughter . . . sister . . . friend . . . pastor . . . striving to be transformed by the Holy Spirit more and more into the image of Christ, Himself.

Our next new blogger is no stranger, as she has been a participant for a while now. Sandy Herren blogs at The Table.

• In my home, command central has always been the kitchen table. It was here that work was completed, food was prepared and shared, crafts were made, and conversations took place. Essentially everything and everyone that comes or goes spends a few moments at some point at the table. Come spend some time at my table and join me on my adventures through life as a wife, puppy-mother, and minister. These are my musings as I try (often unsuccessfully) to broaden my horizons and combine the various parts of my identity into one harmonious, well-balanced individual. There is laughter, tears, and some good things to eat! There is always room at the table for more!

Please greet Shannon, a United Methodist pastor blogging at Until Everyone Hears, who says, "I'm not a doctor, but I believe in a great healer!" I like Shannon's list in the sidebar,which included:

    * I'm going to continue to listen and follow God's call in my life.

    * I'm having a date night once per month. Luckily I've got someone in mind.

    * I'm making 52 new recipes this year.

    * Lose more weight. I'm doing a few new things this year. I'm sticking to keeping a food diary. I AM going to plan my meals ahead of time. And I'm running four 5k races this year. Let me know if you are running one and I'll run with you.

Still with us? This is a big group!

Here's Rev. Jude, whose blog is Vicar in the 'burbs. Recently returned from a life-changing trip to Malawi, Rev. Jude describes herself as:

• Latecomer to ministry, I'm a wife, mom of a married son, and having a blast leading a small Episcopal mission in Central Texas.

And now please say hello to Shepherdess Writes, a blog collection of sermons, essays and theological reflections. The author says of herself:

• I serve as a pastor of a small Lutheran parish in the mountains of western North Carolina and as a campus ministry pastor at Western Carolina University. I love my job–really–and am very happy to be living in the most beautiful place on earth.

Last for today, please say hi to Rev. Sharon at Another Loose Canon.

Sharon is an Independent Catholic priest and calls her blog a place where theology happens! She's the mother of one and "owned by a QH/Connemara gelding and a cat." 

We have more than one Rev. Sharon in the ring, so hopefully the picture with the beautiful horse will help with identification!

We have more new members to meet in two weeks. Please take a few minutes to go around and say hello to this group. It's the way we make community together.