Coffee with April Blaine

Rev. April Blaine lives in Columbus, Ohio and is the Lead Pastor
at Hilliard United Methodist Church. She went to Hendrix
College and Methodist Theological School in Ohio. She
is married with kiddos and is a passionate advocate for the
enneagram.


Babes, blessings, and bathtubs - that's what we're talking about
today with April. If you think we're blessing babes
in bathtubs ... well, you're not totally off the mark! I
noticed a little pattern in April's stories, she's able to gain
huge insights into our humanity through the lives of amazing
young people in her midst. Those stories involve the full range
of being human. This podcast episode is almost like watching the
movie Inside Out where you, literally, get to name experiences
like Joy and Anger. What we see, in its raw form in children (and
college students), can help us be honest about all that is pretty
and pretty ugly in us.


Coming to grips with our true selves has innumerable benefits.
First, we experience our own liberation. We no longer have to lie
to or pretend with ourselves or others. Then we can have more
compassion and grace with others because we know we're just as
beautiful and just as ugly, just as wonderful and
close-to-terrible as anyone else. April's courage to know and
share her journey demonstrates how this is happening with her.


What would you do with the claw-foot bathtub mysteriously
chilling out in your church? Throw it away? Make an art project
out of it? Paint it rainbow colors? Grow plants in it? Make a
reading nook out of it? Fill it with holy water? Float things in
it? Make it a float in a parade? I'll tell you that, after
hearing April's bathtub story, I want to have a rainbow bathtub
in any sanctuary I pastor in. Of course I'll do full immersion
baptisms in it. And, what's more, every year I want to use it for
blessings just like April did (hear episode) so that
everyone knows God loves them just as they are and they are
welcome just as they are because the Water is for them, just like
the Bread of Life is for them.


As Christians we definitely want everyone to come to the table,
any table. We want everyone to come find and know that they are
loved, by God and by others. We want everyone to experience the
fullest life possible and extend that space to others. If others
don't find their way to the table, a table, then God will find
and make a way to them, just like April took the water to the
parade, just like the water leapt from the parade route onto the
crowd. There is a joyful responsibility upon each of us that we
are not compelled to pick up but that many, fortunately, do.
Thank you, April Blaine, for engaging a life of love so deeply.
Links:

Sponsor: United Faith Leaders


The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by
Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile


Enneagram Institute


The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective by Richard Rohr and
Andreas Ebert


Methodist Theological School in Ohio


Hendrix College


Ohio State University (OSU)


Hilliard United Methodist Church


Summit United Methodist Church