Rite Of Return
Returning is not some abstract inner adventure in the metaphysical, but a kind of practical destination that our lives lead us to because we’ve explored everything we could and found ourselves still wanting.
This is not a concession nor an act of giving up and throwing in the towel in our lives and in our dreams, but a deliberate choice that we make to go back to that place of innocence where we were before we became brilliant and tried conquering the world.
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.